Recording COVID-19: "Escape" an Autobiographical Graphic Novel on Pandemic Experiences

This senior project includes a project statement and an autobiographical graphic novel that documents the author's personal experience during the pandemic. The purpose of this project is to reflect on the continuing situation of the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, it hopes to provide insights for understanding the drastic changes in the world and to acknowledge the various pandemic experiences. Disease control measures restricted people's mobility and generated a feeling of separation amongst people. The increasing physical distance between people created greater difficulties to resonate with others. This project argues for reconstructing the coronavirus experience through an autobiographical narrative. The changes in people's ways of communication and the intensified self-awareness caused by isolation during the pandemic will be analyzed to argue for the advantages of using an autobiographical narrative. The reason for using comics to present the pandemic experience will be elucidated in the project statement. The graphic novel documents the author's personal experiences during the pandemic through a graphic narrative. Focusing on topics related to identity, education, politics, family, psychological struggles, and other topics, the graphic novel attempts to capture a unique yet engaging pandemic experience.