Because the World Did Not End When I Was Seventeen: From Death Anxiety to Resilience, Self-Compassion, and Self-Transcendence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic reminded not only sociologists, public health specialists, and medical personnel but also the general population of the health disparities and the importance of building resilience in society. Despite a wide range of COVID-19 severity and experiences among different groups, it is important to recognize what individuals have learned from the pandemic as a shared experience. While researchers reported the daily lives of those vulnerable individuals with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in the midst of the pandemic, this collaborative autoethnography expresses resilience and a transcending experience of a young woman who is considered one of the vulnerable populations, along with her academic advisor’s reflection. By examining how this young woman overcame her fear of dying from COVID-19, this study ponders the meaning of resilience, self-compassion, and self-transcendence through the global pandemic experience as well as the importance of recognizing one’s social position to overcome personal fear and thrive.