Although you are probably reading disheartening reports about unemployment rates and near apocalyptic scenarios, we must recognize it is not all bad. Yes, the world is very different from anything we knew “before” but it does not mean we must stop learning and working to improve ourselves. For college students or recent high school graduates, I believe this is actually a really a great time to come to or continue in College. Here are my reasons why:
- Faculty and staff are ever eager to help you. You have felt it yourself – we cannot take anything for granted, so we are happier than ever to respond to one another. This means faculty and staff are ever more responsive and continue to care and pay attention to your needs (in person, Zoom, email or a combination of all). I know how much we have missed each other!
- Education is more powerful than a pandemic. Education will take you to places you did not dream existed and expand your mind to new possibilities. You can take this time to really understand your field; ask all the questions, read all the papers. Everything is more easily accessible – even libraries are online. Pandemics eventually weaken but education is forever.
- You can use the time until the pandemic improves to get the skills you need to start/ advance your career. Take the time to get better in your field and take the courses you did not have time for before, speak to the professors you didn’t get to speak, take the (virtual) internship you couldn’t take before. We are all trying to balance our lives but the time saved by not having to commute everyone has found to be a gift.
Although campus life will be different, I truly believe this is a great time to be in College and I look forward to seeing you there! Mariana
