© 2024 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Resources and links to information about the novel coronavirus COVID-19Oklahoma State Department of Health's Vaccination Portal: https://vaccinate.oklahoma.govOklahoma State Department of Health - Color-coded COVID-19 Alert System (Map)Oklahoma State Department of Health - COVID-19 OutbreakWhat to do if you are sickHotline: (877) 215-8336 or dial 211Integris Health symptom checkerOklahoma City/County Health Dept. Hotline for the Uninsured or those without a primacy care physician: (405) 425-4489Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health.00000178-7581-ddab-a97a-7fb96f110000OU Medicine - COVID-19The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma encourages anyone needing food assistance to visit rfbo.org/get-help or call (405) 972-1111University of Oklahoma Coronavirus Resources

OU Seniors Are Newlyweds In Quarantine: A Personal Essay

young couple feeding cake to each other
courtesy of Harry Lofton
Harry and Emily at their wedding.

I’m a journalism senior at The University of Oklahoma. Like everybody else, I’m doing my best to maintain my routines and sanity while under quarantine. My paramount learning experience has been adjusting to married life, while sheltering in place with my wife, Emily.

“Could you spend all your time with only this person, isolated in a tiny house together, indefinitely?”

It seems like a phrase a parent would ask their child when they declare they’ve found their soulmate. Emily and I have been married since December, quarantined in our 350 square-foot house since March. I’m happy to say we’re doing pretty well, and there’s nobody I’d rather be cooped up with.

Emily is a ballerina, so she attempts a full ballet class in our kitchen, which is the largest space we have in the house. She uses our countertop as a ballet barre and can (nearly) kick, swing and spin her long arms and legs without whacking anything.  Ballet classes are still being held via Zoom and the laptop is set up across from her in the living room. She nearly lost it one day, when the instructor corrected her to extend her limbs more, when doing so would mean certain doom for our blender and coffee maker.

Emily practicing ballet in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, I either run outside or do calisthenics in our room, next to the kitchen. I miss my gym, but my goal is to see if I can build a different type of strength, rather than regress, while under quarantine. I've learned to take this as an opportunity to focus on fundamental strength exercises.

Emily and I work out for at least two hours every day, then walk or ride bikes together if the weather’s nice. We exercise so much because it helps us and because excess energy makes people go crazier, faster. And we’re both on the edge of crazy all the time.

Man doing pull ups with a bar in a doorway.
Harry working out.

Emily and I graduate this May, so we’ve been looking for jobs throughout the semester. Needless to say, this process has been complicated by the global pandemic. Our future has left our control, which has been hard to accept. But all we can do is talk about it with each other and our friends and family, and proactively put ourselves in the best position possible for when this madness ends (because it will eventually end). Even though current events and our personal affairs are hard to discuss and think about, because they’re often so devastating, we must continue discussing and contemplating, so we can make informed decisions together.

We’ve both had to exhibit lots of patience with each other and with the situation, and focus on articulating how we feel, while listening to one another intently. I know this may sound platitudinous, because everybody knows marriage (quarantine or not) requires all these things, but I believe it’s fair to say patience and communication are both extra important, and harder to carry out under today’s conditions. It’s been challenging, frustrating, joyous and hilarious, to figure out marriage at a time like this. It has certainly brought my wife and me closer in a very unique way and reaffirms the vows we spoke just four months ago.

Harry Lofton is enrolled in a practicum course through OU's Gaylord College of Journalism for the spring semester in 2020. He worked on projects for KGOU's Development department.

More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.