Tales of a College Student

My Senior Year as a undergrad

Hello to all the people being affected right now. As a senior in university this has been the most difficult time for me. When I originally made this story, I wanted to tell you all how to survive university in general. It was going to start with my freshman year and lead up to my senior year at college. This has been cut short with the recent events in the world. All my professors have told me the exact same thing, "we never expect this." To be honest, I didn't either. When this whole thing started happening, I was checking the news and Twitter everyday. I watched this escalate into what it is now slowly. I was scared then and I am now. I've decided that students all over the world could benefit from me talking about this.

I don't get a graduation ceremony until December, which I won't be able to attend at that point. To be honest, I won't really care at that point. I will be in graduate school working on my Masters by December and will be in a new chapter of my life. I wanted the ceremony, and I still do. Things aren't ideal right now. Things aren't what we want them to be right now. Things are complicated right now. Things are not reasonable right now. I've watched young people fist fight the elderly for toilet paper. Things are not normal right now.

All of my classes have switched to an online setting. Classes I never wanted to take online are now all of a sudden online. Leaving the house for the grocery store causes unwanted stress. Seeing the people wearing masks and gloves is overwhelming sometimes, I know. The best thing is to move forward each and every single day.

I am truly sorry to all of the high school seniors who won't get a ceremony until much later, or one at all. I feel the pain of the other seniors in university who are in the same boat. I cannot image the pain the Masters and PhD students are feeling. Things are not normal right now. Things are complicated right now. 

I've decided to try and help everybody, by first step one acceptation. Once you've accepted things are complicated, weird, and not normal the easier the rest of the semester will go. 

Step two, the plan. I've made an entire section on online classes and how to survive them. Briefly, make sure you own a planner and write everything down. Write down due dates, tests, quizzes, meetings, and whatever you need to remember. Set up timers/alarms on your phone that have a note attached to them. This will force you to remember whatever you were supposed to remember. Use Google calendar and make deadlines for yourself if you don't have any. With a game plan in mind and set the semester will go easier. With a plan, and an idea of the deadlines and assignments you need to submit will help release stress.

Step three, pamper yourself. Take that time out of the day after your assignments are finished to focus on yourself and your mental health. Right now with self-isolation a lot of us can experience mental health struggles. Remove yourself from the stressful circumstances and give yourself that time. Give yourself those moments of focusing on yourself and your well-being. If you aren't 100% your work will reflect that. I hate being self-isolated it drives me crazy, but I try to give myself moments of relaxation to help with that. During this time, please do not go onto your phone and check the news. That will cause more panic and stress. Take some time for yourself and it will be well worth it.

I know this is a difficult and confusing time. For all the seniors in the world, whether high school, community college, university, or graduate school congratulations! You made it. Even though, it cannot be fully celebrated you have done it. You have every right to fully celebrate your successes! I wish you all luck in finishing the rest of the semester strong!