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Name: Lane Snover
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Department: COLA; COMM
Role at UNH: Alumni
Year Graduated from UNH: 2019
How does getting this vaccine make you feel?
It feels like this immense weight that has been lingering around me has finally been lifted. I am incredibly grateful and excited to be doing my part towards reaching herd immunity!
What does getting this vaccine mean to you?
It means doing my part to save the lives of strangers that I pass by in public as well as their loved ones. It means being able to finally be able to hug my grandma who I haven’t seen in two years! She has had health complications throughout this pandemic so I cannot wait to see her and my grandfather. It means the reopening of the entertainment industry, which is where my line of work resides. It means hope.
What would you say to someone who feels hesitant about getting the vaccine?
As much as I would love to say “just trust the medical community!”, I think that mindset comes from a pretty privileged place. There is a lot of valid distrust with the medical community within the BIPOC community in our country due to years of documented abuse and neglect. So with that in mind, I would say to those individuals who are hesitant that knowledge is power. Make sure when you are educating yourself on the vaccine that you are looking up multiple credible sources and/or speaking with those in your community who you trust. We are all in this together, the more we reach out to one another to support and encourage everyone to get vaccinated the more empowered we will be as a country and the closer we will be to the end of the pandemic!
What have been some of your favorite ways to stay physically active during the pandemic?
Cycling has been something that has always brought me tremendous amounts of joy so I saved up enough money to purchase a Peloton bike and have loved every second of it! I have also really enjoyed finding certified personal trainers on social media who post very body-inclusive workouts as well as stretching classes!
How have you been taking care of your emotional wellbeing during the pandemic?
Journaling has truly been one of the best decisions I made during the pandemic, I write a page a night before I go to sleep. My mental state has seen MASSIVE improvements just from writing my thoughts down on paper. Also reestablishing my relationship with fitness and movement has been something that has absolutely helped my mental state!
How do you stay connected with others?
Zoom calls have been a really effective way for my friends and me to connect and watch movies/play games together! I also have loved calling my friends on the phone and chatting with them, hearing someone’s voice makes being apart from them a little bit easier. I think it’s incredibly important to check in on your loved ones because this experience is certainly taking a toll on all of us, we all need support right now in order to get through this.
Now that you have received the first dose of the vaccine, what is the next thing that you will be holding onto for hope?
I have actually just received my second dose and had very minimal symptoms! I am excited to begin to shift my lifestyle in order to move back to New York City and visit family members who have also been vaccinated.
Do you have any positive words of encouragement for members of our audience who are feeling completely drained and burnt out from this pandemic?
You are absolutely valid in feeling burnt out, you are not alone. Know that truly just surviving this historic moment within our lives is an incredible accomplishment. We are going to get through this, that is a fact. So in the meantime just be kind to your body and your mind. Try as best you can to focus on listening to what your body needs one day at a time and that’s all you can do!
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