What To Expect. Attending College Amidst A Pandemic.

Congrats, You Graduated I Guess, But What Now?

If you were part of the pitiable crew of 2020 graduates, chances are, you didn't have a graduation (don't worry, neither did I). The year of 2020 was untoward to say the least. Things were quite chaotic and the pandemic graced the world in a haze of apprehension, but a lot of us still looked over the horizon in anticipation of our prom. Little did we know that we would be robbed by this grimy year. Anyway, for a lot of us, that chapter of our life closed and we welcomed the new one... College!

Online College?

As a teenager, we all had that euphoric sensation that college was where all our dreams were going to come true. We had an undeniable feeling that it would be the place that we socialize, find ourselves and experience independence as our own self-proclaimed individual. However, if you asked me where I would see myself attending college at the time, I would never expect that I would be doing it from home. Or at least attempt to...

So what does online college entail? Well , think just think of it as lots of quizzes, multiple choice exams, lectures, lots and lots of deadlines due and finals, but through zoom meetings... It's the same exact thing if you squint hard enough, only exception is everyone is self-isolating at home instead of being social on a college campus.

Pros And Cons

• Pros: Okay, online classes has its perks, you get to enjoy zoom lectures without having to get ready for them. Visually you could look catastrophic in your pj's or comfortable in your loungewear and no one is there to judge you because your camera is off most of the time. Except for when you have to interact with people in breakout rooms.

• Another pro would be that you don't even need to leave your seat to attend biology, chemistry and physics or whatever your lecture may be. You can do it in one sitting and then have time to do whatever you want without the hassle of commuting back. It gives you a lot of spare time to enjoy your day.

• Cons: The downside of being in the room for most of the day is that you're in the same room for most of the day. The only contact you get is people are from family in certain circumstances. College gives you the opportunity to mingle with people you usually would not get the chance to meet. For example, some people meet their life partners in college or around the campus, but that can't happen from your kitchen table or your desk in your bedroom.

Conclusion

Whether you have the opportunity to visit campus at some point during your academic year or you are stuck at home, you definitely had to make some adjustments when it came to school during the pandemic. Sadly, no matter how many changes have happened during this unforgettable time, We can be certain that this will be our reality for the time being. Here are some tips to keep you going!:

• One big thing I would recommend is that you find something to occupy your time by starting a new hobby; i.e. A new language on Duolingo

• Use a hotline to rant to someone about your mental health (it could take a load off your mind). Links; About Us - Childline, psychguides.com.

• Start a craft such as knitting/sewing, jewelry, carpentry, art/sketching or anything that takes your mind off of the little things.

• Take that class that you could not take while overburdened with work!

2020 brought a lot of small businesses to light, so you never know where things could go for you!

Thank you for reading and remember to take time for yourself and enjoy your quarantine!! Become a member and chat with me if you want:))