Hello, fellow seniors and welcome to the most uncertain time for education in modern history.
I can only imagine that at first, many of you saw self-quarantining as an extended spring break – a time where you get to rule the house when mom or dad wasn’t home, sleep as long as you’d like and binge the latest Netflix craze (Tiger King, anyone?). I’m speaking from experience; that’s exactly what I’m doing as a 26-year-old senior in college. Weeks ago, when this virus first became relevant to the USA, we didn’t take it as seriously as we should have. Now as a pandemic, it’s reshaping how humanity views each other, both as individuals and on a global scale.
Before this madness occurred, we as students took our education and our ‘normal’ routines for granted. We woke up, went to school, spent time with friends and participated in extracurricular activities without a second thought. We could count on our schedules being essentially the same week after week. Now that our ‘normal’ world has been flipped upside-down, we need to find a new normal.
As a student of psychology and human development, I’ve learned that humans are programmed to thrive when connected to other people. Yes, we all need our own space occasionally, but it’s been proven time and time again that we do better – mentally and physically – when we’re around those that we care for. People make us better. Our teachers, coaches, librarians, guidance counselors, parents, and friends – they all make us better. Now more than ever, taking that extra step to check in with family and friends is what we need to do.
If you’re looking for a new way to connect, my personal go-to is the virtual coffee date. I set a date and sign into whichever social media account my friend and I share. We sip coffee in our PJs and take time to catch up. Another fun activity is sending a Snapchat of my dog or a goofy face so I know that I made someone else smile during this uncertain time. It’s that simple!
Just remember, we have to support each other. I know that graduation, college, and classes are all scary subjects right now, but take some time to step back and connect. We will finish our classes and get good grades; our resilient educators will make sure of that. But reaching out and staying connected is what we, as students and humans in general, need to make sure we’re striving for. The rest will fall into place.
Mara Sylvester is a senior at the Green Bay campus. As a psychology and human development student, Mara is interested in human connection. She enjoys learning and had formerly taken on a role as an Admissions intern to better understand the connection between admissions counselors’ efforts and students’ college decisions.