College and COVID-19: An unprecedented learning experience
In the middle of the second semester of my first year of college, the unthinkable happened. It was a situation I could’ve never dreamt of in my wildest dreams, one that would shift the trajectory of my college career – and my life – as I knew it: a worldwide pandemic. College had dealt me a handful of surprises up until that earth-shaking March of 2020. I had made wonderful friends and gained experiences beyond what I’d ever imagined for myself. While college courses were hard and a major adjustment from high school, I felt that I was doing just fine overall. My outlook on the rest of my college journey was bursting with optimism.
And then, COVID-19. Optimism was quickly replaced by fear, which was followed soon after by the transition to Zoom classes. With the start of online lectures came intense burn-out and trouble with focusing. It felt as if a rug I didn’t know I was standing on had been swiftly yanked out from beneath me, sending me flying, only to inevitably crash to the ground. For me, learning during the pandemic became increasingly more difficult. But what made the whole experience bearable at its beginning was knowing that I wasn’t alone in my struggle.