This is not the article I planned on writing at the end of the spring semester. I thought I’d be reflecting on my trip to Vermont, attending the GLAAD Media Awards, the many concerts I had tickets to, and all of the incredible memories I would make with my roommates. However, none of those things got to happen.
I am now living back home in PA, in a different state than my partner and my best friends, wondering when I’ll finally get to go back to the city I’ve made my home. It doesn’t help that I have little to distract me–between the stress of adjusting to online classes during finals season, the steady influx of terrible news reports, and anxiety about the upcoming election, it’s been really hard to keep a positive mindset lately.
For me, the way I tend to cope with big life stressors is by planning. I plan out everything I know for certain, and I get through the days by looking forward to the next exciting thing on my calendar. That makes this pandemic so much more difficult to get through–nothing is certain anymore. I can’t even make a set plan for six months in the future, and that’s terrifying. This semester was supposed to be one of the best, and instead, everything I know has been temporarily put on hold.
This isn’t the article I wanted to be writing, but the fact that my semester was cut short doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It didn’t look at all like I expected it to, but the second semester of my sophomore year still had some wonderful moments. I left the country for the first time! My partner and I visited Montréal for Valentine’s Day weekend, and the trip was unforgettable. I also closed out the BU hockey season with the Dog Pound and made so many good memories. We may not have gotten the Beanpot win we wanted, but the season was still incredible (check out my article about it here!).
We didn’t get to show off the incredible work BU on Tap has done in our spring showcase, but we had so many fun rehearsals and accomplished SO much in the time we did have. I even got to teach my own choreography this year! I got my first tattoo, wrote so many fun articles for Her Campus, went ice skating with my best friends, watched The Bachelor finale with friends and family back home, and jammed so many happy memories into the short time I had on campus before BU shut its doors. These are the memories that help me remember that this semester may have gone from being the best to the scariest in a matter of weeks, but that doesn’t stop it from being good.
Quarantine has been difficult, but I’m continuing to make memories here, too. I’ve spent more time with my family than I would have expected to, which is good because as I opt to spend more and more of my time in Boston, this time at home has been really valuable. I’ve gone hiking, hung out with my siblings, and stayed connected with friends and family over the occasional Zoom call. I’ve watched the world shut down in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic, and I’ve watched people reach out to each other, remember to say I love you a little more, help their neighbors, and connect in every small way possible.
This semester has been terrifying. Everything in my life that was supposed to be certain has been completely changed, however temporary or permanent the change might be. But I’m trying to remember that I am so lucky. My loved ones and I are safe and healthy, my dad still has his job, and we’re going to be okay. I didn’t get to go to Vermont or New York, but I did get a harsh reminder that those things really don’t matter that much.
I’d give anything just to give my roommates a hug, or watch the Charles on a spring day. It’s so hard to make anything positive out of such a scary and tragic situation, but at the very least, it’s made me realize how much I have to appreciate. It’s easy to take it for granted, but I am so grateful for my life at BU, and for the people and places that make me feel at home there. I can’t wait to come back.
Stay safe, Her Campus!
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