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(06/02/22 6:41pm)
I have a confession to make. Last semester, I skipped class — a lot. Like, around two or three classes a week. Admittedly, the University overachiever attitude in me has made sure that every missed note is accounted for, any assignments are still taken care of and that I will be ready for any upcoming exams. However, my recent and repeated decision to skip classes is still very out of character for me. Having barely missed any classes before this semester, and, quite frankly, looking down upon those who did, I shocked myself by beginning to play hooky for lectures and discussions in the past few weeks.
(03/31/22 2:06am)
Over spring break, I spent 10 days teaching English in Dakar, the capital of Senegal and the westernmost point in Africa.
(03/06/22 11:06pm)
The beginning of second year was unexpectedly difficult. When I entered my second year, I thought I had gotten through the worst of my college experience — everyone always talks about how hard it is to be a first year. As a second year, I already had supportive friends, I knew how to use U.Va. Collab and how to navigate Charlottesville. I had experienced a variety of teaching styles from college professors and had learned the hard way that, no, I would not be able to get up in time for an 8 a.m. class.
(02/16/22 5:12am)
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(01/19/22 6:34pm)
The New Year season has always made me nervous. The catastrophic events of recent years, such as COVID-19 and the worsening of climate change, have induced skepticism about the future, leaving me suspicious of the year to come. Furthermore, Jan. 1 always seems to carry with it a set of expectations I cannot hope to live up to — staying out all night, celebrating the drop of a ball and the turning of calendars. It also carries with it the anticipation of New Year’s resolutions, which challenge us to better ourselves and to focus on what we can improve upon within our lives. The phrase, “new year, new me,” seems to perfectly encapsulate these phenomena.
(11/16/21 5:13am)
As a second year, 2021 was my first real college Halloween. Since COVID-19 effectively cancelled any traditional celebrations the year before, I was thrilled by the promise of a more normal Halloween season this year. Determined to take advantage of the spooky spirit even in my down time, I decided that Halloween weekend 2021 would be my first time watching a horror movie. Albeit nervous, I eagerly anticipated the experience, having had my fears assuaged by a housemate, a true horror fanatic. She suggested Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” convincing me that it wasn’t as scary as it seemed. Thus, I took the plunge — pressing play on our TV remote, and forever changing the way I view the horror genre.
(10/26/21 8:34pm)
One of the most important elements of my college experience has been my faith. As I’ve grown deeper in my Christian identity and community at the University, I’ve been challenged by a Biblical practice that I feel is extremely countercultural to the culture on grounds — Sabbathing.
(10/03/21 7:12pm)
As I approached my college experience as a recent high school graduate, I distinctly remember being repeatedly told about the unique social circumstances found on university campuses. “Never again will you have such easy access to social interaction with your peers,” my friends and family advised. “Be sure to take advantage of it.” Of course, having my first year transformed by a global pandemic made this more difficult than it would have been otherwise. Still, I still feel my first year provided me with the rich social environment which I had been foretold –- last year was filled with picnics, movie nights, adventures, study sessions and many more beautiful memories with friends — albeit masked and six feet apart.
(07/03/21 5:49pm)
When I began my college search in my junior year of high school, I was desperate for any and all advice I could get my hands on. After all, this was college! It only happened once, and for many people it constituted some of the best years of their lives. Determined not to mess it up, I took to asking all the college graduates in my life the same question — if you could do it all over again, what would you change? The overwhelming majority of people told me that they wished they had said yes more often. Instead of worrying about grades or others’ opinions, they would have taken the risk and made memories that would last a lifetime.
(04/30/21 3:15am)
I’ve always been proud of my ability to take notes in class. Weird flex, I know, but it took years of practice to be able to keep up with dense powerpoints and lectures all while discerning what I need to write down and have my handwriting remain — relatively — legible. So as lectures moved online and it became ever more difficult to pay attention, watching lectures at 2x speed became a new challenge to my note-taking prowess. I adapted surprisingly well and took to watching the majority of my lectures at faster-than-normal speed, content with my new “life hack.” Why wouldn’t I be? I was saving time and still receiving all the information necessary for my classes.
(04/14/21 3:20am)
I’m sick of hearing people talk about 2020. It was a rough year, but if I had a nickel for every time someone told me it was a rough year, I would have enough money to pay next semester’s tuition. But as the end of the school year draws closer, I’m not sure how to respond. In a way, it feels as if the year never even started. I’ve spent the last 12 months waiting for COVID-19 to go away. At first, I thought things would go back to “normal” before my senior prom. Then, I assumed summer would show us an end to the pandemic. Next, it was fall semester. When fall came, and we were still six feet apart, I set my eyes on spring semester. All of these milestones that should have been memorable moments became obsolete as I set my eyes on the next possible opportunity for normalcy.
(03/23/21 4:10am)
College is known for the opportunities it brings for constant, vibrant interaction with others. However, living in a pandemic has largely limited our ability to connect with others with an onslaught of ever-changing rules and regulations. Recently, this meant a 10-day “lockdown” that forced students to stay in their dorms aside from walks and meals. While these restrictions were undoubtedly a challenge for many students, one positive aspect of life in lockdown for me was finding a new, refreshing approach to socialization. By adapting to one-on-one meetings with friends, I was able to develop deeper, more meaningful connections with others than I would have experienced in a larger group setting.