It has been a long semester, and an even longer year.
Since August college students across the nation have had to work through their own personal problems and a pandemic with no real breaks. The wellness days Auburn provided were nice, but the one this month was at the beginning, and it feels like it never even happened. For many, those days ended up being workdays anyway.
There almost seemed to have been an unspoken expectation while we were stuck inside social distancing to do something, or improve on something with our time. Some people have come out of this year with a new skill or have lost weight.
If you sat inside and did absolutely nothing that is fine, and if you found yourself during the school year without the motivation to do anything, that is also fine.
Pandemic fatigue is very real. You shouldn’t be expected to operate normally during a global crisis, paired with anything personal you might have had to deal with.
It’s okay if you didn’t come out of this a new person, or if you’re not at what you feel like is your best. It’s been a tough year.
So if your GPA dropped, that’s okay. If you didn’t get the grades you expected, or that opportunity you were hoping for, you will be okay.
It probably doesn’t feel like it’s fine right now, but it will be.
The world many seem pretty dull still, as we drag on with efforts to balance pandemic restrictions with vaccine rollout, but the color will seep back in. Those opportunities you might have missed or didn’t get will return. Perhaps unexpected things will happen to you which will provide opportunities that will suit you better.
For those who aren’t seniors, and even for those of you that are — you have time.
There’s another full school year ahead of some of you, one that could be better than this one given we take the proper precautions, like getting vaccinated.
The world is gearing up to start moving again. Things are going to get back to normal, opportunities will resume, hopefully.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, there is time.
The future is bright. The sun is rising.
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