As the spring semester comes to an end, we at The News want to reflect on the challenges students have had to overcome.
For the past two years, one major obstacle in the way of student success has been the COVID-19 pandemic. Most seniors graduating this May had only one-and-a-half normal years of college, then normal experiences like in-person classes and events were ripped away from them.
Aside from seniors, many students have never had a normal semester. High school students who had no final semester senior year only to attend college during the peak of the pandemic faced Zoom classes and masking everywhere because of the potential spread of COVID-19.
Every student, whether they got a normal start to their college experience or not, experienced an extreme lack of social interaction and an overwhelming amount of stress because of the threat of getting sick or infecting loved ones.
Unfortunately some students did lose friends and family to the pandemic, and some are immunocompromised themselves, leading to the fear of getting sick. Many students paused their education to focus on their own mental and physical health.
Some students found the online options offered by the University extremely helpful. With the option of Zoom, students seemed to have less concerns about being able to attend class, and they felt included in being able to continue their education in a safer way. Unfortunately for these students, the online option was removed very quickly and some struggled to get back on track.
Unfortunately, many students also faced job and financial insecurity. One in five Americans lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic, according to Forbes.com. Because of this financial weight, people could no longer pay for basic needs or afford monthly bills.
People who were able to keep their jobs during the pandemic faced added stress and burnout. Workers were stretched thin over the course of the pandemic, and their rights took a backseat to the needs of consumers.
On campus we have been able to see firsthand that workers’ rights did not remain a priority during the pandemic. Campus workers had to request safety measures toward the height of the pandemic in order to protect themselves and their families. The pandemic has also taken a toll on prices. Since home values along with rent has risen tremendously, workers are not being paid adequate amounts to keep up with the rising cost of living.
The pandemic did have several negative impacts, but returning to a mainly in-person style did benefit many students. Being surrounded by classmates and friends helped us feel more comfortable in the classroom setting again. Even being able to see students’ faces after the mask mandate was lifted was a sign of more hopeful times.
Since we became used to our experiences, many of us never truly grew accustomed to our situation. We are young and adaptable, and the pandemic was universal. Our experiences shaped us without realization.
The pandemic was certainly not easy, but the work we all put in has been worth it. Although we didn’t get a traditional experience when it comes to college, we have had a unique experience no other college students before or after us will get.
We deserve to commend ourselves for the work we managed to do despite so many historical events being piled on top of us. With only a full week left in the semester and the pandemic becoming manageable, we have nearly made it, and that deserves a round of applause.