The College Story So Far: Pandemic Edition

 I've honestly been trying to figure out the best time to update you on my college experience for a while. On one had, I felt like there wasn't really anything cool to talk about. However, it hit me today that I only have two semesters left in undergrad after this semester, so I might as well do it now. It's not going to be the most interesting or eventful update since we've all been inside, but I still think it'll be worth the read.

With that being said, I present to you The College Story So Far: Pandemic Edition

Last spring, before Covid hit, things were honestly pretty calm. It was shaping up to be a nice, chill semester. I had just moved out of the sorority dorm since I resigned from Alpha Chi, and was all moved into my nice little apartment/dorm. January and February 2020 honestly feel like a blur because it was just a loop of going to class, going to work, and going to Zumba. Yes, I took up Zumba- don't judge. 

Towards the end of February, everything started getting weird. Talk about Covid had been going on, like vaguely, since November, but around this time it was really all anyone was talking about and the threat was getting real. The last week of February, I was on spring break and just stayed home because it felt weird even thinking about going on a trip when there were so many people getting sick out of nowhere. I remember thinking that we were going to end up not even going back to campus at the end of spring break because things were getting so out of hand. We actually went back for literally a week before they rushed us off campus with almost zero notice. 

So, the second week of March, I packed up a couple suitcases of stuff from my dorm and headed back to Fayetteville to stay with DJ's mom to wait it out. All of my classes were moved online, which was honestly a lot more stressful than I was expecting it to be. It was definitely an adjustment having to basically shift my entire learning routine, but I kept reminding myself that I wasn't the only one who had to make such a huge adjustment in the middle of the semester. It was weird being in Fayetteville for so long, pretty much six months, because it had been two years since I spent anymore than a month there at a time. Adversely, it was kind of comforting being there too because I couldn't imagine being stuck in my dorm when there's basically an apocalypse going on. I use the term apocalypse jokingly here. I swear I'm not a doomsday prepper.

I was out of work all summer, which was definitely an oddity for me. I am somewhat of a certified workaholic. I have always been the one to work as much as possible just to keep myself busy, which of course probably isn't the healthiest, but I'll unpack that another day. Not working was really weird, though. I had to find different stuff to fill my time. So, I became a plant parent (as many of you may already know), I started making and selling friendship bracelets to donate to money to grassroots organizations, and I started journaling again. Putting pen to paper was really grounding for me and I feel like it has really helped me since I started. 

Despite being more or less trapped in the house, I did accomplish some pretty cool things in the midst of quarantine. I finally learned how to drive over the summer and just recently got my permit! I am actually eligible to get my license through a waiver program at the end of January, which is really exciting. Driving has been a cause of anxiety for me for years, and I feel good knowing that I'm slowly tackling it. On top of all of that excitement, I also bought my first car all by myself- kind of as a 23rd birthday present. I named him Luca, and although he isn't all shiny and new, he's mine.

Once the shut in summer started coming to an end and the start of this semester rolled around, I made the decision to sign a lease for an apartment in Greensboro.

Initially, I made the decision because I had a class that was supposed to be in person (all six of my classes are online now, though) and I didn't feel comfortable living in a dorm where I would have no control over who or what I came into contact with. I was also just really uneasy about the way my school was handling Covid-related issues because it was just all so unorganized and it felt like they weren't taking our health and safety as seriously as they should have been.

Living in my first apartment is cool so far. I live with Almira (my best friend I met my freshman year) and two other girls. One of our roommates is a bit of a slob, which is definitely an adjustment for me. I can handle clutter, but like unsanitary and dirty is definitely harder for me to cope with. Fingers crossed it gets better, because we're here until July. We're still close to campus, but not like too close for comfort you know? I feel like I'm not experiencing the same amount of uneasiness and stress that I did when I was living in dorms on campus the previous two years. I'm starting to think that maybe all I needed was my own space, so I'm glad I made that decision. Plus it doesn't hurt to be able to decorate a whole room and have as many plants as I want, of course. 

This semester has honestly been a drag. I'm not even going to pretend that I didn't have tough time because I certainly did. I'm used to online classes in short spurts, but 16 weeks of online classes with no breaks was really taxing. One thing I learned this semester is that universities are like malls. Their goal is to get people in, get them to spend as much money as they can get out of them, and then get them out. Universities, specifically mine, have only been bare minimum considerate of students in this pandemic. Professors are assigning butt loads more work than they would in a regular semester, there are increased technology requirements for students with no supplemental grants to cover the costs, online classes have attendance policies- the list goes on and on ok. This semester has been really hard on students and I don't think schools did enough to accommodate that at all. The real doozy is that we have to do it all over again next semester, but luckily I know what to expect going in this time.

My hope is that the next time I do a college update, I'll have another grand adventure to tell you guys about. I want to be able to share some good stuff. For now, we are still in the middle of the pandemic and the most exciting thing about my day usually is making videos of myself pouring coffee. I hope that everyone is taking care of themselves and staying safe during these crazy times. I'll write something cool soon.