Matthew Johnson is a UCI senior majoring in Criminology, Law, and Society. In addition, he works full time as a leader/manager at Target. Matthew has worked in Irvine since he began his academic career in 2017. His position as an essential worker throughout this ongoing pandemic has given him an insight on what it has been like to be on the
frontlines. For this project, he has focused on how the pandemic has altered the public’s daily routines and behaviors.

“The New Design,” April 9th, 2021

I decided to take this photo on April 9 2021 as I walked into work. The photo shows the entrance to the family lounge, or where the restrooms are located, inside the mall. Working in a mall during the COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be rather interesting with social distancing guidelines and safety precautions. During the height of the pandemic and the stay at home orders, I can recall most of the mall being a ghost town since the majority of shops were mandated to close. Once the mall began to reopen with social distancing guidelines, signs asking guests to maintain social distance and to wear facial coverings were plastered everywhere you looked. Usually, I never pay attention to these signs walking into work because I see them everyday. On this day, however, it hit me that this is simply the new norm to create signs like the one shown. Not only is it the new norm to have signage requiring face coverings, but this diagram shows what the new family outing looks like. I also wondered why they chose not to put a face covering on the child as I would assume they look old enough to wear one. As I walked away, I wondered how long diagrams like this one would last.

“Virtual Commencement” April 28 2021

I decided to take this photo on April 28, 2021 after registering for virtual commencement. With the pandemic and health guidelines, the UCI 2021 graduates are having a virtual commencement. Although I originally took this photo to send to friends as a joke, I figured it would be appropriate to include it as a part of this historical moment. It is crazy to think about how graduates are receiving congratulations through an email or by registering for an online commencement ceremony online. Never would I have thought that my college graduation would take place virtually through a powerpoint.