by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2021
Campus
Last year was a bust.
Each grade missed out on some of the most pivotal moments of their college years – no exceptions, none better nor worse than the other. No one wants to hear the “woe is me” story anymore, and neither do I.
This year will be different.
Even if Providence College students continue to mask and be tested occasionally, we feel a bit closer to being out of the “thick of it” than we once were. It is something to be genuinely proud of and definitely not taken for granted.
It is a gift to be able to attend college in the first place––and a private, prestigious one at that.
Many students would likely agree that there are days they do not put in one hundred percent effort into their studies, or are fully appreciative of the students, professors, and knowledge around them. It is definitely understandable on off days.
At this point, though, having each of those lovely aspects ripped out from underneath the whole student body for a year and a half, there is no excuse not to recognize the blessings surrounding us and take one’s education seriously.
While Zoom classes were nice at some points, they also negated the entire aspect of relationship building, which is incredibly important to one’s education.
Creating relationships with professors is one of the most influential aspects of one’s college career because getting to know one’s student, their interests, and their abilities creates a sense of trust and intellectual depth. Frankly, this cannot be replicated online.
Aside from relationships with professors, some of the most amazing friendships are created through in-person classes.
These friendships help in understanding materials, intellectual thought, and overall class experience. Often, these relationships grow with you throughout college and in your majors and minors as you advance together.
Since Zoom had no real-life interaction and a lot of the classes were hardly personal, these relationships were lost––this stunted the main reason that makes college so enjoyable and meaningful. This semester will allow PC students to return to these relationships.
Of course, let us not forget, any and all campus functions, clubs, and sports became nonexistent.
This, too, nullified any sort of relationship making and true diversion outside of classwork.
Thankfully, our events and clubs are slowly coming to fruition and allowing for the many passions, creativity, and abilities of our students to fully shine through.
All these absences point to the need for intentional learning and lifestyle this Fall 2021 Semester. It is our duty as PC students to create these relationships purposefully, to place effort into our education, and our obligations.
We must support each other, uplift each other, and create an environment of gratitude in the aftermath of the initial covid outbreak.
With this mindset, we will be able to destroy some of the damage and loss that has occurred in this past year and a half.
Take your year, whether it be freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, very seriously. Capitalize on the opportunities we have and never forget where we came from.