When we first went on lockdown, the hardest part was trying to stay as focused on school while at home, where there are many more tempting distractions in my space and not as many readily accessible study and social outlets near. My hope was that this was only going to last a couple of weeks until they could get everything under control as fast as possible; but with the non-compliance of citizens in social distancing and mask-wearing, uncertainty has quickly become the theme of this pandemic and its fallout. While summer is coming to a close, unfortunately, people remain uncertain about the future–– and so do I–– being a rising senior in college. This is the time where the plans I have had for myself are supposed to be in full motion. Taking admissions tests, applying to school, and worrying about finishing my senior year at Tulane is at the top of my concerns list; not to mention I still am like plenty of college students when the conversation shifts to money and the security of our jobs and internships. Questions arise about tuition modifications and how people are going to pay for things they may need, especially while schools are no longer sending out CARES act payments to students and most of us did not qualify for the federal stimulus tuition. However, I remain hopeful about what’s to come in 2020 and would like to see it end positively. During the school year, my focus is to make sure I do as well as I would if I had full capacity at school while still being able to maintain social distancing and remaining in good spirits about my senior year, my friends, and my future.
