Navigating COVID-19 From the College Students' Perspective

The year "twenty-twenty" will be a year that future generations study about in history class. It will be a year that scientists look back on and marvel at the scientific innovations that occurred throughout the process of vaccine trials. It will be a year that students and everyone who endured the crazy rollercoaster of COVID-19 will never forget.

Being a college student can be a difficult and strenuous journey, but the year twenty-twenty has added a whole new level of rigor. In March, after receiving the news that the novel Coronavirus was beginning to wreak havoc in the United States, universities all over the country began shutting their doors and switching all course material to virtual learning. The process of switching from in person to online occurred over a period of only a few short weeks. During this time, professors were burdened with having to figure out how to effectively convey their material virtually, students had to move out of their college housing and move back home, and America began to shut down. The uncertainty of what would happen next was daunting.

During the switch from in person to virtual learning, students not only had to adapt to how their courses changed to accommodate online learning, but they also had to learn important self-motivation skills. Classes were no longer at a specific time on campus. Now, the student must hold themselves accountable to complete their coursework on time. I, personally, had a very difficult time adjusting to this new method of learning. Being a biology major, I rely on hands-on learning to spark my curiosity. Now that classes were virtual, I found myself struggling to keep engaged in the course content. When I am in person, I take advantage of: going to professors' office hours to ask questions, attending open labs to look at models, microscopes, or samples, study with friends, or simply utilize resources in the library. Being online made utilizing these resources nearly impossible. Additionally, one aspect of science, particularly in biology, that I love, is being able to conduct hands on experiments and studies. Being able to first handedly explore and convey the scientific method is something that drives every scientist to succeed in their coursework. Frankly, that is one of the major reasons why I love being a science major and why I choose to study this complex field! Although at times I felt frustrated, I remind myself that learning to adapt to new circumstances and developing new skills makes me a stronger student. As an aspiring physician, I think these skills are especially important to learn.

A potential issue, for both myself and my fellow students, is how virtual learning in college could affect our future careers. For example, a teacher not getting the experience student teaching in person. Imagine a future nurse not being able to practice assessing vitals on his/her peers for practice. These are just a few examples of how this pandemic could have consequences for students in the future. Although these possibilities may be worrisome, it is important to take each day one step at a time. We can only hope that future employers will understand the circumstances that we have encountered through our education and will accommodate our needs. Regardless, we can embrace this new journey, as odd and terrifying as it may be, and strive for success in our futures.