Senior Year in a Pandemic
The Foreword
When I signed my lease for this house over two years ago as a sophomore, I had a picture in my head of what my senior year inside these brick walls would look like.
I looked ahead to
the 6:00 AM wake ups for early morning tailgates,
the lengthy walks together to central campus for class,
the nights we would spend snacking together in the kitchen after returning from a long night of studying in the library, and the Zingerman’s brunch we would have on our lawn as nearly 50 of our parents trekked to Ann Arbor for parents weekend.
At the time, these things were a given. Senior year was going to be the culmination of our time in Ann Arbor. We would celebrate our many ‘lasts’ with teary eyes while reminiscing on our memories together that got us to this moment. Our biggest worry being whether or not Michigan would win against Ohio State.
In the current climate of the pandemic, these seemingly significant expectations have completely morphed.
There are no tailgates to wake up for,
no in-person classes to walk together to,
no nights spent collaborating in the library,
and no parents weekend to plan for.
Senior year is not as we may have pictured, but we are now able to create our own ‘new picture’ of college during COVID-19.
The Afterword
Our so-called family unit of 24 was forced to mature in ways we never expected. To learn how to put others before yourself, to prioritize the health and safety of those around you when possible, and to act as though we can have control over the outcomes of our interactions.
At a time where social gatherings of more than 20 people was illegal in the state of Michigan, our house of 24 was a paradox in itself.
With each passing day of the semester, we learned to adjust to this new normal and continuously determine the best courses of action in these ever-changing circumstances. As we tried to navigate this new normal, the things that we had hoped for and expected for our senior year became unbelievably minute in retrospect. We are not perfect, nor will we ever be, but we made the utmost effort to act responsibly while trying to make the best out of the situation.
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This semester was nothing short of atypical. But the silver linings were easy to find.
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