(This is the seventh in a series of articles from students about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Were you in college or high school when the pandemic hit the country? What was the biggest impact on your life during the first few months of the pandemic?
I was in my sophomore year of college when the pandemic hit. The change from all in-person classes to all online was difficult.
The thing that impacted me the most was having to move everything back into my parents’ house and live with them again. Which let me tell you, didn’t excite them either.
What were the challenges of transitioning from seated classes (either high school or college) to online learning?
The biggest challenge for me was the professor having to quickly transition an entire seated course into an online learning format. This meant that the previous schedule was completely thrown out, and it was hard to know what to expect.
My ceramics class was the hardest to transition. We didn’t have access to clay or a kiln. We had to come up with other creative outlets to use.
What is the greatest lesson you took away from the pandemic (from the beginning to the point we are currently at with social distancing, masking)?
I learned that keeping each other safe must be the main priority. Even though I am not a high-risk individual, I have friends and family members that are high risk.
I wanted everyone to stay as safe as possible. That meant taking online classes and finding different ways to connect with others.
How did you practice Self-Care-As-A-Bear in dealing with the stress of online classes, isolation from friends and activities, the general stress of dealing with the unknown?
Thanks to amazing support from professors, I was able to get help easily with any assignments that I was worried about. The professors here at Missouri State did not let a pandemic stop them from connecting and helping their students.
My friends and I used Zoom to connect in large groups. Thankfully, my family was safe and living together which really helped.
What did you learn about yourself as you went through/continue to go through the pandemic?
I learned that it can be difficult to be so isolated. I also learned a lot about what motivates me to keep going. I made sure that the pandemic didn’t stop me from reaching my goals. With the support of family, friends, and professors, it wasn’t a problem.