Aminé and director Phillip Youmans watching a take at Big Bear Lake.

Fall 2021 | Features

The Big, The Small, Everything in Between

ByExpression Contributor December 6, 2021December 4, 2024

Life at Emerson, although it feels more “normal” than it has in a while, looks nothing like a pre-pandemic academic year, before there were masks, quarantines, regular COVID testing, or worry about this highly contagious disease.
Truly, the last 20 months have irreparably changed the way we experience, well, everything. We asked students what has been meaningful to them during this pandemic—and why. The following photos capture those moments in time from the last 20 months.

Lex Torrington ’22, Media Arts Production

This photo is from Summer 2020, when I was hired to shoot the band BTS in singer Aminé’s music video. Pictured are Aminé and director Phillip Youmans watching a take at Big Bear Lake.

two men posing with a snowman — This photo is from Summer 2020, when I was hired to shoot the band BTS in singer Aminé’s music video. Pictured are Aminé and director Phillip Youmans watching a take at Big Bear Lake.

Xudong Liu, MFA ’23, Film and Media Art (left); Rebekah Oden ’23, Media Arts Production (right)

A cat looking out the window of an apartment — My cat stayed at the window for hours after the pandemic began. I was glad my neighbors did not draw down the curtains, and most of them worked near the window. After two weeks, I joined my cat.

An empty bed with a blanket and pillow on it in a dorm room — My cat stayed at the window for hours after the pandemic began. I was glad my neighbors did not draw down the curtains, and most of them worked near the window. After two weeks, I joined my cat.

Anderson Hauptli ’24, IDIP

An empty road in New Hampshire, a sidewalk, and a house, with mountains in the background — New Hampshire with no soul in sight, isolated by the fears of the pandemic.

A car in Frog Pond in the Boston Common — New Hampshire with no soul in sight, isolated by the fears of the pandemic.

Hailey Kroll ’25, Journalism (left); Briana Figarella ’23, VMA (right)

woman looking through a glass door and holding her hands up to someone else's against the glass — This was during the first part of COVID when everyone was in lockdown. My mom and I went to visit my grandmother but decided to stay at a distance since my grandma is high-risk. We put our hands up to my grandma’s with the glass door between us in order to feel close.

A woman holding her toddler and smiling at the camera — This was during the first part of COVID when everyone was in lockdown. My mom and I went to visit my grandmother but decided to stay at a distance since my grandma is high-risk. We put our hands up to my grandma’s with the glass door between us in order to feel close.

Kelsey Marlett ’22, Creative Writing

A curvy tree beside a footpath in a forest — I spent a lot of time during quarantine healing with the trees.

A young woman standing in a forest looking up at the trees — I spent a lot of time during quarantine healing with the trees.

Will Ingman ’24, Journalism (left); Cooper Sherman ’23, Sports Communication (right)

An older man sitting cross-legged in the grass wearing a red hat — I took this photo a few days after I moved into Emerson my freshman year. It depicts an old man on a portable breathing machine sitting in the crowd at an anti-mask rally. If a single picture can encapsulate my pessimism about the US ever moving past COVID, this would be that picture.

I took this photo a few days after I moved into Emerson my freshman year. It depicts an old man on a portable breathing machine sitting in the crowd at an anti-mask rally. If a single picture can encapsulate my pessimism about the US ever moving past COVID, this would be that picture.

Sara Ziegerhofer ’23, VMA

A group of people sitting outside in NYC's Washington Square Park — Washington Square Park serves as a reconnection to the human experience. It is in this park where I and so many other people get to converse with strangers and make new friends, where artists share their work, where skaters congregate and make the park their skate park, where music joins strangers in dance, where friends reunite together, and so much more. Washington Square Park is where art meets community and human interaction flourishes, where self-expression is welcomed and becomes an act of empowerment, and where the human experience comes alive: all things that help us live through this pandemic and survive together.

Some kids playing outside in NYC's Washington Square Park — Washington Square Park serves as a reconnection to the human experience. It is in this park where I and so many other people get to converse with strangers and make new friends, where artists share their work, where skaters congregate and make the park their skate park, where music joins strangers in dance, where friends reunite together, and so much more. Washington Square Park is where art meets community and human interaction flourishes, where self-expression is welcomed and becomes an act of empowerment, and where the human experience comes alive: all things that help us live through this pandemic and survive together.

Molly Berard ’24, VMA

Aerial view of a cat curled up on a bed with a binder and a pillow — Though it was a difficult time, I always found comfort in having my cat attend classes with me. We would snuggle up, turn on Zoom, and she would stay with me while I did my homework afterward.

Though it was a difficult time, I always found comfort in having my cat attend classes with me. We would snuggle up, turn on Zoom, and she would stay with me while I did my homework afterward.

Amy Chiarelli ’23, Communication Disorders (left); Jennifer Shing ’25, Media Art Production (right)

Woman wearing a skirt and top getting her Covid-19 vaccine — This photo is important because not only does it depict the day that I got my vaccine, but it was also taken by one of my preschool students. So, as he’s looking at me, I’m looking at a 4-year-old in a mask who remembers pandemic life more than pre-pandemic life. It represents all the days that my team and I spent trying to make the most of working with young children who were struggling to understand the new world around them.

People talking and walking their dogs in the street with the handlebars of a scooter in the foreground — This photo is important because not only does it depict the day that I got my vaccine, but it was also taken by one of my preschool students. So, as he’s looking at me, I’m looking at a 4-year-old in a mask who remembers pandemic life more than pre-pandemic life. It represents all the days that my team and I spent trying to make the most of working with young children who were struggling to understand the new world around them.