Reflecting on the pandemic, one year later
The pandemic has made me appreciate the life I used to take for granted
Hallie Wiltshire / Asst. Opinion Editor
I remember the first time I ever heard of the coronavirus. I was sitting in the Atlanta International Airport on my way back from an intersession study abroad program in Jamaica. My dad called me and asked if I’d seen any news about the newest virus. I had seen the alert on the USD homepage but didn’t think much of it. Every few years there had been reports of a new virus or disease that rapidly spread. Some reached the status of epidemic, while others faded out of the news quickly. Many people expected COVID-19 to fade just as the others did; I know I did. As I sat in the airport, I thought “that won’t impact me and my life. It will be fine.” But here we are a year later, still in the midst of a global pandemic.
As of March 16, there have been almost 30 million recorded cases and 530,000 coronavirus related deaths in the United States. These numbers were completely unexpected and the United States was wholly unprepared to deal with a public health crisis of this magnitude. We are a full year into the pandemic, and there is still pushback against mask mandates. People continue to attend parties and other large gatherings despite the obvious risks. Everyone wants life to just return to normal, to be able to go places and see people like we used to.
I’ve been incredibly lucky and privileged. No one I know personally has died. My mom’s job easily switched to being remote and my family never had to worry whether she would lose her job or if we would not be financially supported. I’m asthmatic, but I can stay in my apartment safely and not unnecessarily risk my health. I know that I’m lucky and that most people have had it a lot harder than I have. Even so, I’ve learned a great deal about what is truly important in life and what I took for granted when life was “normal.”
I’m a very type-A person who always needs a plan, and the chaos and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic left me constantly stressed. To make matters worse, Fall 2020 was the hardest semester of school I’ve ever suffered through in my entire life. I was constantly doing homework or studying for exams, and rarely had a moment to relax. Even when I managed to carve out time for myself, I was stressing about upcoming deadlines and assignments. There was no reprieve from school; there was no separation between relaxing and studying.
To voice my frustration, I wrote my piece on students feeling overwhelmed. The magnitude of the response was completely unexpected. Everyone had been feeling this way but no one had really said anything, and I think many of my peers felt validated by knowing that others were overburdened too. There was a pitiful lack of support, or even basic empathy, from USD administration. They continually refused to offer a pass/fail option, citing flimsy excuses that placed the blame on students and even going so far as to call them lazy. In an email sent on Nov. 2, 2020, administrators wrote that offering a pass-fail option would “likely reduce the effort level for some students who know they do not need to put forth the same amount of effort as they would when they receive a letter grade.”
I’ve consistently taken five classes every semester since I was a first year, but I decided to only take four this semester. This ended up being the best decision I could have made. Maybe it’s just this new batch of professors, the full-length semester, or the addition of spring break, but everything is going significantly better. I actually have time to relax without the threat of homework looming over me. I know this isn’t an option for everyone, since USD’s graduation requirements are extremely tight and difficult to accomplish even with five classes a semester, but it’s important to recognize that times are turbulent and not being able to produce the same quality and quantity of work is completely okay. Being able to complete your assignments at all is an accomplishment, and every student should be proud of themselves for doing the best they can. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to feel sad, to lack energy, to not know what to do. Not being in control is one of my biggest fears, but sometimes things are simply beyond my control and I need to accept that.
There are so many things that I used to do when life was “normal” that I took for granted. Visits with my family, going to the grocery store without fear, being able to see friends. I haven’t hugged my younger cousins for an entire year. I used to visit my grandparents several times a month, but I can’t see them in-person without strict quarantining and testing.
Although there have been a lot of tough times this year, there have been positives too. I’ve learned to take more time for myself and that my worth is not determined by my grades or the amount of work I manage to produce. I’ve learned not to take my friends and family for granted, that being able to see them is a privilege that I should cherish. We’ve all struggled, but we’re coming out the other side stronger.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.