Quarantine Diary 9: The Small Joys

Hear ye, hear ye, to all the inhabitants of the world, especially the readers of the UGL ‘Quarantine Diaries’. It’s me, Tath, another Graduate Assistant at the UGL. I’m writing from my apartment in Urbana with my windows open, even though it’s cold. Someone told me “being present with the temperature is being present with yourself” and I have developed a small crush on that thought. I do not know how many weeks shelter-in-place has been in effect.

I wanted to be finished with my large assignments several weeks ago, but have instead been spending time biking around Urbana. Although living in Chicago for five years before moving here, I am just now beginning to understand what flatland means as a kind of psychological condition. It’s not actually flat, you can see some rolling hills on the country roads just northeast of Urbana but they’re always a little out of reach, or actually in the middle of an early-season cornfield. 

My eyes are in legitimate pain from Zoom meetings but I like FaceTiming with my sister’s cat, Dusty Butt.

The cat, Dusty Butt, climbing on top of hanging clothes.

Other small joys?

Peppermint Tea:
It just rules. There is no tea I like better. Even Vanilla Rooibos doesn’t compare.

Rewatching the Sopranos:
Anthony Jr. is sick and there’s nothing I want more than to see him wearing the same Marilyn Manson shirt I wore all through middle school through college – the album cover to Family Portrait. Also high-key love Carmella and really really wish she and my mom were friends. In the mid-2000’s at the height of the Martha Stewart, Barefoot Contessa cultural phase, themed homemaking books and cookbooks were published kind of often (as opposed to today’s regional/cultural fusion trend). The Sopranos has not one, but two, whereas something as epistemically massive as Napoleon Dynamite only has a scattering of recipes across the internet. I’m vegan but I’d probably step to Carmella’s ziti.

A tweet that reads: "season 01, episode 4: AJ wears his first band shirt and it's a Marilyn Manson one. Plus, he rocks his room with several posters of Ulver, Moonspell, Nevermore and Stuck Mojo. What a start. #numetal #thesopranos" and has photos of the shirt and room

Reconnecting with an ex who is an actual rockstar.
I won’t tell you who they are but when I saw their picture in December’s Art Forum Top Ten my heart skipped a beat. They are also a rockstar at phone calls, and have good critiques of seltzer. Of seltzer, I highly recommend the Instagram page @seltzerflex.

Geoguessr
This is a Google Maps oriented game where you guess where you are based on your street view. I have guessed within 30 meters of where I have been dropped. You always know when you are in Australia, but inland regions of Mediterranean countries look eerily like Mongolia.

Skyrim
I’ve been homesick for my native Western Massachusetts since like 2013. Skyrim helps fill the void a little bit because culturally it’s the same place (for better or worse, although without the paranoia), and geographically even closer to a replica of home. My hometown looks like the outskirts of Whiterun.

A water-wheel turning in Skyrim

Falcon Cam
Sometimes I wake up and check on these falcons on top of UMass Amherst’s W.E.B. Dubois Library.

 

Written by: Tath

Edited by: Nicole

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Quarantine Diary 8: Memes in the time of quarantine

Hey everyone! My name is Amy and I’m writing to you from my parents’ house in southeast Michigan (AKA “the Metro-Detroit area”)! After briefly considering moving back to my apartment in Urbana post-spring-break, I decided that even as an introvert I would likely go a bit nuts if living by myself with no human contact for longer than a week.Due to recent events, morning screaming hours have been extended indefinitely [photo of baby opossum]
So here we are: 6 weeks later, re-wearing the same 5 pairs of leggings I brought home while completely ignoring the “hard pants” (more commonly known as “jeans”) I brought with me, and trying to juggle my new work-from-home, school-from-home, job-hunting-during-hiring-freezes, and Anxiety™ schedule.

"Has anyone come up with a good answer to 'how are you?' I have not." "Oh, you know, same panic different disco."

When every conversation now starts with a slightly-more-sincere-than-usual “how are you?” you have to start getting creative!

But that’s not fun to talk about, so instead I’m going to be sharing some of my (questionable) coping methods (spoiler alert: this includes memes) along with strategies actually backed by doctors and therapists!

Small Joys I’ve been indulging in:

  • Snuggling my kitty, Lucy – but also lots of playtime to counteract the excessive treats my parents give her.

    Photo of cat

    Lucy, my 6 year old rescue cat

  • Virtual happy hours, coffee hours, and game nights with friends and family! Zoom calls can be exhausting, but it is so nice to hear about the antics of my friend’s new puppy and have my 8-month-old niece hang up our video call because she wants to grab my face through the phone screen.
  • Shamelessly binge-watching TV shows/movies:
    • Brooklyn 99: This show has been on my watch list for literally years, with at least 70% of people who know me at all recommending it, but I have only started watching it recently due to who I am as a person. If you’re looking for some fun, light-hearted, and wholesome comedy, this show is a fantastic distraction full of quirky characters and ridiculous shenanigans. Bonus points: there’s a corgi!
    • Wynonna Earp: Canadian sci-fi featuring quips, demons, true love, cowboys, a fantastic portrayal of sister relationships, and a magic gun.
    • Bob’s Burgers: I stan Louise Belcher.
      Louise from Bob's Burgers saying "Let's be clear. I did absolutely nothing wrong."
    • Jane Austen adaptations: more timely than you’d think!
      Jane Austen movies invented social distancing [four stills from Jane Austen movies with characters standing far apart]

      See also: “I went outside and caught a cold. Now I am ill and must be on bed rest for two weeks without seeing any of my family!”

  • Memes: THE MEMES. I would like to thank God and also Jesus for the high quality quarantine memes that have been helping a lot of us to laugh and find amusement in our current predicament. Some favorites:
"crap this virus is turning all the people into pigeons #coronavirus" [images of a plaza: 'before" photo shows large crowd of people, 'after' photo shows only pigeons]

“Nature is healing.”

Photo of a sign from Toronto, Canada that reads "Do your part. Stay apart. Keep a distance of 6 ftt (2 m) (the length of three geese) from others."

6 ft is also an appropriate amount of distance to keep between yourself and a goose.

[image of a tweet] No.. one... cleans like Gaston, quarantines like Gaston, no one stops spreading COVID-19 like Gaston

Image of Gru from "Despicable Me" movie with a blank poster and a speech bubble saying "we can't see the slides"

First two weeks of classes after moving to Zoom, Spring 2020 (colorized)

Photo of a decorative sign that says 'gather', with comment: "Take it down, Karen. It's illegal."

Karen, I want to speak to your manager…

When someone in your house comes back from getting groceries: [image from Lord of the Rings movie with Frodo: "What news of the ouside world? Tell me everything."]

“Was there any toilet paper this week?!”

And now, some actual advice on staying mentally healthy during “these unprecedented times.” The UIUC Psychology Department put together a COVID-19 Mental Health Resources list with tips for self-care, connecting with others, getting help, staying productive, ideas for how to unwind, and more. Here are a few of my favorites I’ve been trying:

  • Keep track of time by planning a schedule for your day with time blocking and other strategies to increase focus and finish out the semester strong.
  • Find natural light! Warmer weather means we no longer have the excuse of “too cold” when deciding whether to stay in bed or go for a walk.
  • Healthy sleep habits can make a huge difference. I’ve been completely thrown off my old schedule and have already forgotten what “mid-day” is supposed to mean (pretty sure it isn’t supposed to be 8 pm), but I’m working on limiting my screentime and caffeine intake before bed to help me sleep during the actual nighttime.

We’re almost done with this semester – hang in there, and keep an eye out for some stress relief activities on the UGL’s social media later this week!

written and edited by Amy

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The UGL’s Guide to Fall Break

Who’s ready for fall break?

Image of Uggles laying on top of a fruit and vegetable basket

Uggles is allowed on the dining table

Whether you’re staying in the Champaign-Urbana area or traveling away, here are some UGL-approved ideas of how to spend your week of freedom before the final exam crunch begins!

Reading for FUN

A gif image of a cat reading

Plenty to read is available for you and your cat

Missing the good old days of summer when you could read what you wanted, not what your professor assigned? Before you head out of town, stop by the UGL to check out popular novels, graphic novels, and more.

  • Find out more about our Fiction collection, or browse our genre binders on the lower level.
  • If you have a specific book in mind, try searching the Library Catalog to see where to find it.
  • If you’re more of an e-book kind of person, check out our Finding Ebooks guide and find the book for you.

eAudio Books

Screenshot of the rb Digital library for Ebooks

The rb Digital ebook library

The library has an eAudio collection with thousands of audiobooks you can access to make tedious chores or long car rides less boring. Head to the link above for a guide to using this collection, or go straight to the library catalog listing. Once you click “Online Access,” you’ll be brought to a site called rb digital where you can browse or search for books.

Explore C-U

The Explore C-U homepage

Explore C-U

Whether you’re stuck on campus over break or just happen to have family in the area, check out Explore C-U, a University Library developed project that has stories and self-guided tour routes to learn more about the arts, culture, and history of Champaign-Urbana. Examples of tour include:

School Stuff

Maybe you’ve been putting off that research paper, or maybe you just really love your classes. Whatever the reason, know that you still have access to the library’s databases and resources when you’re out of town and off-campus!

Gif of a cat using a laptop and a mouse

Digital access to all of the library’s resources

Start from the library’s home page and find whatever database or journal you need. You’ll be prompted to log in with your NetID and password, then you are good to go. If this doesn’t work, pop in the Ask A Librarian chat on the library’s website for help or check out our guide on accessing databases off campus for other ways you can connect.

Take a little cat nap!

Gif of two very cuddly and very sleep cats yawning

A few extra cat naps over break will be welcome

Whatever you choose, we hope you enjoy the time off and come back refreshed and ready to tackle all of your end-of-semester projects and final exams.

~authored by Amy

~Edited by Zander

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Star Pet-ential

Having a ruff day? Semester got you going mutts? Take a paws and check out these photos of our staff’s pets to help you get through your day and read on for details for an op-purr-tunity to share pictures of your pet!

Photo of Addie

Addie

Name: Addie
Breed: Maltese Yorkshire Terrier AKA Morkie!
Age: 2
Fun Fact: He likes to perch on the back of the couch and put his head on your shoulder and watch TV with you.

Photo of Louie

Louie

Name: Louie
Breed: Domestic Longhair
Age: 11.5
Fun Fact: Louie is a shelter rescue and loves to eat plastic bags, so they have to be hidden from him!

Photo of Parker

Parker

Name: Parker (after Peter Parker)
Breed: 4
Age: Tabby
Fun Fact: Her hobbies include drinking water directly from the sink faucet, chirping at birds out the window, eating pumpkin spice yogurt, and visiting her Meowma and Purrpa.

Photo of Max

Max

Name: Max
Breed: American Brittany
Age: 6.5
Fun Fact: Max enjoys daily runs, snuggling, and stealing food, so you can never turn your back on a plate of food if you plan on eating it!

Photo of Raven

Raven

Name: Raven
Breed: Shorthair Mixed
Age: 7
Fun Fact: Loves to play fetch. Yes, you read that right.

Photo of Ollie and Fin

Ollie and Fin

Name: Ollie and Fin
Breed: Miniature soft-coated Wheaton terrier poodle mixes AKA whoodles
Age: 6
Fun Fact: Their favorite place in the world is the vet’s office. When they escape the yard and run away, we find them at the vet!

Photo of Skitter

Skitter

Name: Skitter
Age: 16
Breed: American Shorthair/Siamese
Fun Fact: As his name may suggest, Skitter is scared of literally everything. He once got stuck in the loop of a plastic bag and ran around for ten minutes to try and get away from it, to no avail.

Photo of Riggins

Riggins

Name: Tim Riggins
Breed: Goldendoodle
Age: 7
Fun Fact: Likes dressing up in people clothes and taking glamor shots.

Photo of Misty

Misty

Name: Misty
Breed: Seal Point Siamese
Age: 14
Fun Fact: Frequently spotted plotting world domination with squirrels.

Photo of Rumi

Rumi

Name: Rumi
Breed: Tabby
Age: 3
Fun Fact: Has a foot fetish.

Now it’s your turn! Submit pictures of your pets through this form for a chance to have your furry friend featured in our Student Art Gallery on the first floor of the UGL!

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Find Uggles – Final Update

This year is very special for the University of Illinois because we are celebrating the sesquicentennial, or 150 year anniversary of our University. The day after Uggles is found, we have been revealing the location, along with some historical information about the place where she was hidden. Whether the building is new or old, each building on campus has a unique history! If you’ve missed some of the posts, you can read more below! All of our posts in order create a historical walking tour of campus, so celebrate the sesquicentennial and the spring weather with a stroll around all of Uggles’s hiding spots!

Week 1 (October 31, 2016) – Alma

Uggles at Alma Mater Statue

Uggles at Alma Mater Statue

Congratulations to our first winner, Sandy, who found Uggles hiding at the Alma Mater statue! Alma was unveiled in June 1929 and was originally placed directly behind Foellinger Auditorium. On August 22, 1962, the Alumni Association moved the sculpture to its present location in front of Altgeld Hall.

Source

Week 2 (November 7, 2016) – Foellinger Auditorium

Uggles at Foellinger

Uggles at Foellinger

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Christopher, who found Uggles hiding at Foellinger Auditorium. Built in 1907, Foellinger has had many famous faces speak and perform within. Among these include: John Phillip Sousa, Jane Addams, Robert Frost, Duke Ellington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ravi Shankar, R. Buckminster Fuller, Maya Angelou, and Bill Gates.

Source

Week 3 (November 14, 2016) – Grange Grove

Uggles at Grange Grove

Uggles at Grange Grove

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Leonel, who found Uggles hiding at Grange Grove, which debuted in 2015.
Grange Grove has transformed what was previously Lot 36, into a free, high-energy tailgating area, which students and fans enjoy!

Source

Week 4 (November 28, 2016) – Lincoln Hall

Uggles at Lincoln Hall

Uggles at Lincoln Hall

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Anih, who found Uggles hiding by the Lincoln Bust in Lincoln Hall.
Lincoln Hall opened in 1911 and has “held theater productions, history museums, libraries, and offices for faculty and staff.”
The bust of Lincoln was added in 1928 and has been there ever since, with the exception of one day in 1979 “when thieves stole the bust and mounted it on a tree stump at a local golf course.”

Source

Week 5 (December 5, 2016) – Illini Union Bookstore

Uggles at the Illini Union Bookstore

Uggles at the Illini Union Bookstore

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Olivia, who found Uggles hiding inside the Illini Union Bookstore. Named as such in 1940, the bookstore is a “continuation of a book exchange organized in the early 1920s by students at the university.” The Illini Union Bookstore is “one of the largest independent college bookstores in the country.”

Source

Week 6 (February 20, 2017) – CRCE

Uggles at CRCE

Uggles at CRCE

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Jessica, who found Uggles hiding inside the Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE). Although it originally opened in 1988, CRCE as we know it today officially opened in March 2005. Along with the usual basketball courts and gyms, CRCE also has an indoor waterslide and a waterfall!

Source

Week 7 (February 27, 2016) – Main Library

Uggles at the Main Library Information Desk

Uggles at the Main Library Information Desk

Congratulations to this week’s winner who found Uggles hiding in the Main Library! The Main Library was founded in 1867 and actually pre-dates the University, as the founders wanted students and staff to have access to books and materials “from the day they arrived on campus.” The Library officially opened in 1868, and eventually moved to the building we know it as in 1926.

Source

Week 8 (March 6, 2017) – Funk ACES Library

Uggles at Funk ACES

Uggles at Funk ACES

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Kelsey, who found Uggles hiding outside the Funk ACES library! It was built and dedicated in 2001, and “one of the study rooms on the fourth floor is a gift from the College of Agriculture Class of 1941, honoring their 10 classmates who died in the Second World War.”

Source

Week 9 (March 14, 2017) – English Building

Uggles at the English Building

Uggles at the English Building

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Logan, who found Uggles hiding outside of the English Building. Built in 1905, the English Building has quite the history. Originally serving as a women’s dormitory with a gymnasium and pool, it eventually became the home economics department and was renamed Bevier Hall in 1947. Finally becoming the English Building in 1956, there are many rumors surrounding the supposed haunting of this building.

Source

Week 10 (March 27, 2017) – Illini Union

Uggles at Illini Union

Uggles at Illini Union

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Hector, who found Uggles hiding outside the Illini Union, which opened on February 8th, 1941 and celebrated its 75th Anniversary last year! “The building was designed in the shape of an ‘I’ to honor the university,” and was dedicated by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942.

Source

Week 11 (April 3, 2017) – Undergraduate Library

Uggles at the Undergraduate Library

Uggles at the Undergraduate Library

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Laura, who found Uggles hiding in the Undergrad Library’s courtyard! The UGL was dedicated in November 1969, and the inscription around the top of the courtyard was a gift from the class of 1916. The reason that the UGL was built underground was to avoid casting shade on the Morrow Plots. It was also to allow for open space behind Foellinger Auditorium, an important part of the Campus Master Plan at that time.

Source

Week 12 (April 10, 2017) – University Gateway

Uggles at the University Gateway

Uggles at the University Gateway

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Ana Michaela, who found Uggles hiding at the Gateway on Lincoln and Green! As the easternmost entrance, it welcomes Urbana residents to come visit this bustling area of campus town. Further down on Green Street there are many different restaurants and shops that make it the social hub of our campus.

Week 13 (April 17, 2017) – Grainger Engineering Library

Uggles hiding with Grainger Bob

Uggles hiding with Grainger Bob

Congratulations to this week’s winner who found Uggles hiding outside of Grainger Engineering Library. Dedicated in 1994, Grainger is the largest engineering library in the country.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was performed on a touch-screen computer and when the ribbon was “cut”, fireworks appeared on the screen. In 1994, this was cutting-edge technology!
Uggles was hiding with the statue outside of Grainger, known as “Grainger Bob.”

Sources: 1 and 2

Week 14 (April 24, 2017) – Morrow Plots

Uggles at the Morrow Plots

Uggles at the Morrow Plots

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Kennedy, who found Uggles hiding in the Morrow Plots! Founded in 1876, the Morrow Plots are the “oldest continually used experimental agricultural fields in the U.S. and the second oldest in the world.”

Source

Week 15 (May 1, 2017) – Eternal Flame

Uggles at the Eternal Flame

Uggles at the Eternal Flame

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Jose, who found Uggles hiding at the Eternal Flame, which was a gift from the class of 1912. There is a campus myth that states, “A lover’s kiss will bring eternal bliss,” signifying that if you kiss your lover under the flame, your relationship will last forever. No matter the legend, the Eternal Flame is a great place to sit and enjoy the nice weather on the Quad!

Source

Grand Prize

Ana Michaela, the winner of our Kindle Fire Grand Prize raffle

Ana Michaela, the winner of our Kindle Fire Grand Prize raffle

Congratulations to the winner of our Grand Prize raffle Ana Michaela, who won a Kindle Fire!

Want to learn more about Uggles or follow along for other contests? Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages!

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Find Uggles – Update

Have you been following along with our Find Uggles contest? Each week, Uggles, the Undergrad Library cat, is hiding in a different location on campus. Each Monday, you can find a clue to her location by checking out our Instagram (@askundergrad).

The first person to return her to the circulation desk at the UGL gets a cash prize and has their name entered in a drawing for a Kindle Fire which will take place at the end of the semester.

This year is very special for the University of Illinois because we are celebrating the sesquicentennial, or 150 year anniversary of our University. The day after Uggles is found, we have been revealing the location, along with some historical information about the place where she was hidden. Whether the building is new or old, each building on campus has a unique history! If you’ve missed some of the posts, you can read more below!

Week 1 (October 31, 2016) – Alma

Uggles at Alma Mater Statue

Uggles at Alma Mater Statue

Congratulations to our first winner, Sandy, who found Uggles hiding at the Alma Mater statue! Alma was unveiled in June 1929 and was originally placed directly behind Foellinger Auditorium. On August 22, 1962, the Alumni Association moved the sculpture to its present location in front of Altgeld Hall.

Source

Week 2 (November 7, 2016) – Foellinger Auditorium

Uggles at Foellinger

Uggles at Foellinger

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Christopher, who found Uggles hiding at Foellinger Auditorium. Built in 1907, Foellinger has had many famous faces speak and perform within. Among these include: John Phillip Sousa, Jane Addams, Robert Frost, Duke Ellington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ravi Shankar, R. Buckminster Fuller, Maya Angelou, and Bill Gates.

Source

Week 3 (November 14, 2016) – Grange Grove

Uggles at Grange Grove

Uggles at Grange Grove

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Leonel, who found Uggles hiding at Grange Grove, which debuted in 2015.
Grange Grove has transformed what was previously Lot 36, into a free, high-energy tailgating area, which students and fans enjoy!

Source

Week 4 (November 28, 2016) – Lincoln Hall

Uggles at Lincoln Hall

Uggles at Lincoln Hall

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Anih, who found Uggles hiding by the Lincoln Bust in Lincoln Hall.
Lincoln Hall opened in 1911 and has “held theater productions, history museums, libraries, and offices for faculty and staff.”
The bust of Lincoln was added in 1928 and has been there ever since, with the exception of one day in 1979 “when thieves stole the bust and mounted it on a tree stump at a local golf course.”

Source

Week 5 (December 5, 2016) – Illini Union Bookstore

Uggles at the Illini Union Bookstore

Uggles at the Illini Union Bookstore

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Olivia, who found Uggles hiding inside the Illini Union Bookstore. Named as such in 1940, the bookstore is a “continuation of a book exchange organized in the early 1920s by students at the university.” The Illini Union Bookstore is “one of the largest independent college bookstores in the country.”

Source

Week 6 (February 20, 2017) – CRCE

Uggles at CRCE

Uggles at CRCE

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Jessica, who found Uggles hiding inside the Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE). Although it originally opened in 1988, CRCE as we know it today officially opened in March 2005. Along with the usual basketball courts and gyms, CRCE also has an indoor waterslide and a waterfall!

Source

Week 7 (February 27, 2016) – Main Library

Uggles at the Main Library Information Desk

Uggles at the Main Library Information Desk

Congratulations to this week’s winner who found Uggles hiding in the Main Library! The Main Library was founded in 1867 and actually pre-dates the University, as the founders wanted students and staff to have access to books and materials “from the day they arrived on campus.” The Library officially opened in 1868, and eventually moved to the building we know it as in 1926.

Source

Week 8 (March 6, 2017) – Funk ACES Library

Uggles at Funk ACES

Uggles at Funk ACES

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Kelsey, who found Uggles hiding outside the Funk ACES library! It was built and dedicated in 2001, and “one of the study rooms on the fourth floor is a gift from the College of Agriculture Class of 1941, honoring their 10 classmates who died in the Second World War.”

Source

Week 9 (March 14, 2017) – English Building

Uggles at the English Building

Uggles at the English Building

Congratulations to this week’s winner, Logan, who found Uggles hiding outside of the English Building. Built in 1905, the English Building has quite the history. Originally serving as a women’s dormitory with a gymnasium and pool, it eventually became the home economics department and was renamed Bevier Hall in 1947. Finally becoming the English Building in 1956, there are many rumors surrounding the supposed haunting of this building.

Source

Be sure to follow along on Instagram each week for your chance at finding Uggles and winning a prize. (See our original post with rules and other info at http://publish.illinois.edu/undergradlibrary/2016/10/27/find-uggles/)

 

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