EXPERIENCE
Looking for the Silver Linings WRITER: SUKHJOT SAL ILLUSTRATOR: CYAN PERRY For some students, the past year of pandemic life was their first glimpse of the college experience, while for others, it was the final one. While the year has been challenging, this time of isolation and feeling of uncertainty had many people discovering new things to appreciate about their surroundings, about their loved ones and most importantly, about themselves. (1) Jessie Patterson, third-year political science and sustainability student What I’ve come to appreciate is family and friends. My mom was stuck overseas for five months in another country during the pandemic and wasn’t able to get back into the U.S. I realized I took advantage of having her around and didn’t realize how much she did for our family and to have her not be here for a long time was really hard. So I’ve learned it’s those little things that you get to appreciate about people and same with friends, relying on them for social interaction even if it’s over Zoom has been really huge. (2) Leah Venkatesan, third-year environmental sciences student I appreciated being by myself a lot more. I’ve really been able to do more on my own, I’ve been doing a lot more art and that’s been really fun. Getting to learn more about who I am is really cool. (3) Megan Baus, second-year chemical engineering and ecological engineering student
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have come to really appreciate the technology I have access to, and the ways it has allowed me to stay connected to family and friends when I can’t see them in person. Additionally, I appreciate my peers and the communities we’ve formed through Discord and other sites that have allowed us to help navigate online courses together. I also really appreciate my peers that turn their cameras on when their pets are in the room. (4) Kira Kilstorm, second-year environmental sciences student What I’ve come to appreciate more is the ability to bond with people around the world over video games, because that’s something that I picked up during the pandemic. (5) Alexander Perigon, seniorW environmental sciences and geography and geospatial sciences student I’ve come to appreciate houseplants more, because I love having them and having them keep me company, and it seems like a source of bonding with other people over Zoom. Everybody’s talking about plants and happy to share their plants, so I’m just appreciating them all that much more. (6) Amanda Front, second-year liberal studies student with minors in leadership and studio art The pandemic has given me time with myself that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. I have really learned what self care means to me and the kinds of people I want to surround myself with. I have been able to really develop my sense of self in a deeper and different way.
