Spring quarter is full of different emotions. There’s excitement for summer, fear for the future (especially for seniors), and sadness about missing friends. I am definitely fearful and sad about this quarter ending, but I am definitely excited for what is to come. Here are some things I’m looking forward to once the quarter ends.
- Being done with school
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This will be my final quarter at UCSB. It’s crazy to think that I’m graduating during this time, and it almost seems unfair to be able to celebrate. Also, I feel like I’m not technically done with school since I don’t get a legitimate graduation, but I can accept that. I got a community college graduation which was special, and I’m thankful for that. I hope it does happen eventually, but I’m just excited to be done with school!
- Enjoying summer
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This is really contingent on whether or not the pandemic gets better; I won’t be going to the beach or seeing friends if it’s not safe to do so. I do hope I get to enjoy myself and do some fun things before I have to start working, but I hope moreso that everything gets better for our world.
- Relaxing
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With online classes, you don’t really get to take time off. I currently am enrolled in 20 units, write for HC, and write for TBL, so I do a lot of writing. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing, so much that I want to do it for a career (or at least a hobby), but it’s a lot of work to write news, features, and academic papers/discussion posts. I look forward to when I can write for fun and not have to worry about school deadlines.
- Looking for work
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With graduation comes post-grad work, and I am nervous yet excited to start looking. I had barely looked before quarantine began, and obviously now it’s harder. I know a few people, my stepmother included, who are either working remotely and adjusted from in-person or started a new job online. I considered finding a job, but I figured that I would rather wait and see if things get better before I start online work and then have to transition to in-person. Also, part of the excitement of graduating is knowing that you can get a fulfilling entry-level job, so I’m gonna wait to start looking and have that as a responsibility as well as a fun task.
- A sense of normalcy
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I briefly mentioned this before but I’m most excited for everything to get back to normal. My county has extended our shelter in place to May 31st, so that changes plans for a lot of things, especially my birthday. I don’t want to complain, but it’s a bummer that things have had to change so much. I just can’t wait to be able to get back to the things I did before quarantine, but let’s be honest, I’ll probably stay inside 90% of the time anyways!
It’s very hard to remain positive during this time, but I’m trying to be hopeful of what’s to come and have things to look forward to when this all gets better. It might be a while until we get back to normal, but one thing is for certain: this quarter will end. It may not be the summer we all imagined, but it’s up to us (and me) to make it as great as it can be.