Going to college for the first time during a global pandemic can be summed up in one word: wild. From terrible breakout rooms to rapid COVID testing to the new normal saying of “Oh crap! I forgot my mask,” my freshman year of Zoom university has been quite a wild ride. Here is a breakdown of some of the highlights.
First off, making friends is difficult. I’m not going to sugar coat it and tell you that I had the easiest time meeting people because, in reality, it is hard! And with all of us being in single dorm rooms, I would argue that the extra barrier makes it even harder. But in some wonderful way that I don’t yet fully comprehend, I met the most wonderful people on the UCD campus. Not to mention – I’m incredibly lucky and fortunate enough to be on campus and immersed in campus life. But through joining different clubs, organizations, and truly just putting in the effort to connect with the people around me (both physically and virtually), I’ve managed to meet some wonderful humans my first year here, and I am almost certain that I will continue to meet more the more time I spend here. Second, UCD is home. It didn’t feel like home at first, and with homesickness, stress from classes, and the anxiety that independence comes with, it took a while for it to feel like home. But now that it does, I truly can’t imagine myself living or being at any other university. I’ve found people that remind me that life is so worth living, I’ve discovered myself and challenged my capabilities with the rigorous yet infinitely interesting lessons I’m learning during class and I’ve immersed myself in campus life through exploring the wonderful scenery. The farmer’s market has become one of my absolute favorite destinations, and I’m certainly going to miss the chilly yet exciting bike rides to downtown every early Saturday morning.
As for classes, I’ve really learned how to challenge myself. One of the most difficult aspects of Zoom university has been the breakout rooms. I’ll just say it right now – sometimes, they are absolutely terrible. The amount of anxiety and frustration I feel when I’m the only one putting in the effort to talk and connect with others and hearing nothing on the other end feels mentally damaging and draining. But, as the optimist in me is saying, some breakout rooms are super productive and helpful. However, those great breakout rooms seem to be harder and harder to get lucky with. Nevertheless, I have found that putting in the effort to attend office hours and connect with my professors and TAs have the key to succeeding in classes. Plus, you get to talk to wonderful humans doing wonderful things in the world of research and academia!
