How COVID-19 Made Me a Better Student
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, I was an 18-year-old freshman college student with no major aspirations, recovering from fall semester sadness trying to find my place on campus. The pandemic changed my outlook on education and life completely.
The Zoom Blues
COVID hit out of nowhere - displacing thousands of college students and leaving some stuck in cities across the country. The week that New York City shut down, I was supposed to be touring the Museum of Modern Arts and walking through Times Square. Instead, I was stuck at home in Tampa, Florida trying to figure out how I would attend my college classes through Zoom and helping my third-grade sister learn virtually. Virtual learning was only supposed to last three weeks; instead, it has extended into the spring semester of my sophomore year.
As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, I wanted everything to work out the way my mind envisioned it to. I was going to wake up in the morning and work on my schoolwork and attend Zoom classes and help my sister with her math homework and work on my research presentation and eat lunch and still have time at the end of the day for Netflix and writing in my journal. Sure. Because that sounds SO reasonable.
The reality was that I could not wake up before noon and making breakfast was too much of a bother. So, I tried not to care too much that I had two essays, one presentation, and a quiz due by the end of the day. Teachers were relatively understanding but this shift was also hard on them too, and that reflected in the way I was learning.
After the spring semester concluded, I realized to myself: What exactly have I done for the past three months? People I knew had landed remote internships or were working on their YouTube channels and out there accomplishing great things while I was on my couch at home aimlessly watching Netflix. To this day, the end of my spring semester feels like a fever dream. I kind of just woke up one day and said to myself: How did I get here? Before the pandemic, I had grandiose plans of having beach days and interning in the summer. Suddenly, I couldn’t even really go outside - it was depressing.
Time to Get Back To Work
Two women walk out of a building with folders while wearing masks. This depicts the new normalcy of college students worldwide.
Charlotte May from Pexels
That’s why, when the fall semester came around, I jumped at the chance of going back to campus - even if it meant being on the computer all day. At this point, I needed to be in a different space and I needed to go back to student life.
The first two weeks were... interesting. I didn’t know how long I should study for and I wasn’t sure how actively I should be interacting with people on Zoom. Because of this, I took a day in my third week of classes to set boundaries for myself. I quickly learned that setting aside time for study breaks and lunch breaks allowed me to disconnect from the virtual world of school for a bit or even just stare out at the window. Setting up my school space lets me focus on the things I need to get done and moving away from that space allows me to disconnect. Zoom fatigue still takes me out sometimes and occasionally I don’t even want to check my email, but I try my best to stay engaged.
Dance Breaks and Snacks are Okay
Woman sitting at a table with an assortment of foods drinking from a mug.
Jack Sparrow from Pexels
Being a student during COVID has changed me and allowed me to think about my future. I don’t want to spend the majority of the rest of my life sitting down looking at a computer screen and I don’t want to feel like I am not contributing to the world.
I know myself more and I realize that it’s okay to take a dance break sometimes (I CAN’T STOP ME by TWICE saved me during finals). I don’t have to finish reading a textbook chapter in one sitting if I don’t want to. I don’t have to feel guilty for taking a popcorn break after finishing a class. My mental health matters to me much more than it did before and I’m realizing just how important it is to know myself.
After spending time on lockdown I take time with my friends and family more seriously and realize that it’s important to value those around you. COVID also allowed me to learn how to not be a student and take time to do other things that aren’t stressing over school. I learned how to cook, I like tea now, and music guides my life.
Obviously, I don’t have everything worked out. I’m not perfect, nor do I want to be. I’m proud that I didn’t let COVID didn’t throw my dreams off course and it’s okay if they don’t result in the way that I envision.
