How A Rural Community Is Maintaining Mental Fitness In Isolation

About The Author

Hi. I’m Ryder and I am a grade 8 at Seycove Secondary. I have been interested in photography from the time I was little. Moving to Vancouver from California was a big change. Whether it be the climate or the environment around me, everything was different. A little while before I moved to British Columbia, I found a curiosity for wildlife and nature, which there was not much of where we lived. Although, that was not the case in BC. There was so much to see and so many critters to observe. I needed to find a way to capture all of it though my point of view. I first started taking photos when I was seven, and immediately created what I called a photo book. With a recent move deeper into the forest, my interest in photography has grown even more. In the future, I would like to be a photographer for National Geographic.

What is The Photo Essay About

How can we, as photojournalists, tell stories of our community during this period of physical distancing?

As a class we were asked to answer the question above in the form of the still image. Since my community is Sunshine Falls Lane, which is very deep in the wilderness, I decided to base my photo essay around that factor. Since a major consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is physical distancing, I made a theme that would capture how the community responded to this obstacle. The main focus was how the community is uniquely keeping mentally fit and happy through this time. From exercise to yoga to family bonding time, this collection of photos will show it all.

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Sunshine Falls Ln

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News That Touched Billions

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It seemed like it has been years since I first read that news headline. To be honest, it didn’t seem that bad at the start. A number of cases were in Wuhan and there was only about one or two in the U.S.A. Although, everything changed quickly. In the matter of weeks, borders where shut down and we were required to stay in our homes. The idea of self isolation sounded fine for a little while, but when we heard that schools were closed down, and weren’t planning on re-opening for the remainder of the school year, my opinion began to sway. Before online classes started, the weeks at home were a lot about finding things to do that would keep me from getting down or sad. I later found that as a rural community, we all had unique ways of staying mentally fit throughout isolation.

Somehow Relaxing

Due to the fact that at the beginning of quarantine we had no school, I realized how important it was to keep a calm mental state. Meditating and taking my mind off the pandemic eased the stress and uncertainty. Since our community is in such a rural area, you can meditate in your backyard with only the distraction of the sounds of wildlife around you.

Mental Fitness

This photo captures a community member doing yoga. During this time of isolation, community members have found hobbies that they enjoy doing. It is said that yoga is the number one remedy for strengthening your body and mind. “Finding something that puts structure in my day has helped me cope with the stress that the COVID pandemic has caused.”- Linda, neighbour. Before self isolation, our busy community would most likely be at work or running errands. For many people, having to stay home has sparked interest in getting more self aware and present in the current moment.

Staying Active In These Times Is Superior

The photo above captures a community member on a trampoline. Due to the small amount of houses in the community, each dwelling has lots of of room around their property for something like a trampoline. Since people like myself, can’t play sports anymore, the trampoline is a great way to keep your athleticism. It is proven that exercising and straining your muscles releases dopamine which makes you feel lighter and happier.

Zoned Out

These times are stressful and sometimes escaping your thoughts is just the right thing to do. The photo above captures a young community member playing video games and “zoning out”. Living in the Pacific Northwest, the weather is never predictable and when its raining you stay inside. Video games are a quick resolution to boredom or uneasy feelings. Since physical distancing was put in place, socializing with friends has became a lot more difficult. Communicating while playing a game allows you to have fun while also being social.

“Will I be able to walk my dog”- Linda. A big worry about quarantine was accessibility to the outdoors. Living in a community surrounded by nature, wildlife is part of your home and the forest is your backyard. It was hard to ponder the thought that we would not have access to that. Although, as time went on and things became clearer, I was relieved to be able to take hikes or walks with my dog. Everyone in the community was relived even if they didn’t have a dog to walk.

Behind The Leash