This is Cher writing today!
One whole year since this pandemic hit us. I will never forget my very last day in University. I was a little oblivious to what was going on that week. I would take the city bus to school from Lawson Heights Mall and I would see people with masks on. I thought that was just extreme and weird. Little did I know, I was days away from never returning to school again for the rest of the year.
My last class I attended on campus was an English class. One of the girls I sat beside went to talk to the prof after class, and as I was leaving I remember hearing them talking about virtual learning. I thought that was something SO extreme that could never happen. I went home to Dalmeny after that and saw Hailey off to her weekend retreat. Hours later I got an email saying that classes were ALL online. The next week they were cancelled, but they picked up in a virtual setting that was new and strange.
In the last year I have learned a lot about my abilities when it comes to learning at home. I need changes of scenery. It’s hard for me to learn in the same place as noisy dogs, but I can roll with it when I have to, for sure. It’s been such a blessing to have the time I had to study at the Born’s. They have been so generous and supportive of me, and I don’t know how well I would have done without them. I would hide away for days and not have to worry about cooking. I didn’t have to show my face, I would just sit in my room, read, study, nap, repeat.
I DESPERATELY miss being on campus. I have grief that I don’t get to meet new people and learn in person. Grief that I waited SO long to finally even go to University, and I am spending such a HUGE chunk of it at home, instead of being harassed in the tunnels to buy things I don’t need and sign up for things I don’t want. I miss the busyness, the smells, the noise. I miss the SUPER cranky Tim Horton’s employees, and paying for parking when the bus didn’t show up on time. I miss getting an iced coffee and walking outside in the bowl. I miss the good, the bad, and everything in between.
I really hope this pandemic lightens up soon! I have a new perspective to try out!