The Simple (and Sometimes Hard) Truths: Lessons Learned by College Students in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
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Due to my own self-realizations and lessons learned during this season, I became curious as to how my college-aged friends and peers have been surviving the last several months. So, I asked. I reached out, seeking to gather experiences and perspectives. I inquired about lessons they’ve learned, advice they’d like to share, and epiphanies they might have had over the duration of quarantine to the present, in which most of us have returned to our respective college campuses.
Below is an assortment of the many responses I received, including some of my own personal submissions. Each quote has been kept in anonymity to protect the privacy of each individual, however, they have been published as originally submitted so that the integrity of individualism and authenticity may be preserved. While each of these quotes may be interpreted differently, that does not diminish their significance. May you find inspiration, encouragement, helpful tips, and maybe even some amusement in your reading.
“Sometimes the hardest decision is the best one to make. It’s not about doing what will make everyone else happy or comfortable—it’s about listening to your needs and making choices that will benefit you, rather than simply pleasing the likes of others or going with the popular choice.”
“Be grateful for what you have because things can change very quickly.
“Pay attention to when things are due and teach yourself!”
“You are deserving of good things.”
“Check on your friends and check on yourself. Things obviously are different socially too, not just academically. I think it is important to learn that you are not alone, ever. I know that when quarantine hit, I struggled big time -I just felt so alone- but then I found ways to still interact with my friends, such as through video calls and stuff like that. And when I started talking to people again I realized that people were also feeling alone and that I wasn’t the only one.”
“Find a healthy hobby, something to exercise the brain...my music and writing help me from going insane."
“Even if you aren’t there to see the fruit grow, sow the seed anyway.”
“I’ve learned how valuable it is to reach out to those you love, especially the ones you haven’t seen in a while. Quarantine has made it super clear to me how strong or weak each friendship I have really is.”
“I’ve got something that I’ve read a while back and it's stuck with me hard. So the quote itself is ‘mind like water’ and it comes from the thinking about how water reacts when a pebble is thrown into a pond. The water reacts totally proportionally to the force and mass of the input, and then it returns to calm. It does not overreact nor underreact. So that’s stuck with me hard because I’m the worst about not responding with the same amount of severity that the situation warrants.”
“Just because your normal routine may be hindered doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself anymore. Get outside! Get fresh air, go for a run, do some yoga in your room, be active!”
“It’s okay to set things aside, they’ll still be there in the morning.”
“In the stillness of everything, I’ve drawn closer to God and realized that all of my hurts and troubles are carried in His hands. I really have just learned to shift my focus and center my life on Him. I’m becoming aware of His presence and leaning into His word.”
“It’s perfectly okay to be happy, hurting, and healing at the same time.”
“Taking a break refreshes your mind so you do work that would have taken two hours in 45 minutes. Powering through doesn’t really work.”
“Let go of things that no longer serve you with inspiration, joy, purpose, etc.”
“Protecting your energy is reclaiming your power.”
“It’s okay to complain and not be happy all the time, even if you do have so much to be grateful for. Life can be really difficult at times and to be constantly positive is a lie and really damaging to your mind.”
“Manage your time- that’s all I got.”
“What I learned this year in college during the pandemic is that I’m so much smaller than I thought I was. What I mean by that is the problems I thought mattered don’t anymore now that we have gone through life and death situations. I need to be less concerned about me and more about others. People lost their companies during this pandemic and I’m over here concerned that I can’t get my eyebrows done by my regular lady. It’s the perspective that I need to get better at viewing!”
“Admitting you need help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of true strength.”
“Always communicate with your professors. It will help in the long run.”
“You must be intentional with your time because how you spend it matters.”
“A proper schedule is a NECESSITY!”
“If you say you're gonna do an assignment later, you’re never gonna do it, so just do it right away.”
“I’ve learned the importance of taking space, even with the people you’re closest to. You can love someone without taking all of their problems on as your own and never holding them accountable for their actions.”
“Honor yourself by not denying what you really feel.”
“During the pandemic, I learned about the importance of having a support system. My friends who were there for me during the pandemic and being trapped at home kept me going and motivated. I also learned a lot about how easy it is to slip into a depressive and lazy state when you aren’t surrounded by the love and warmth of your friends.”
“Keep a stock of booze and frozen food to make meals at all times!”
“You were not made to shrink yourself to fit into places you’ve outgrown.”
“Taking care of your body is important! And I realized we need to be more appreciative of what we have.”
“I have learned to always stay one step ahead and to not procrastinate.”
“There’s a quote I’ve really taken to heart over quarantine and with all of the protesting going on: ‘Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare’ -Audre Lorde. Other things that have also been helpful are that you have to learn to be your own best friend and, as cliché as it sounds, everything has a way of falling into place over time.”
“Taking the time to take care of yourself is not a selfish act.”
“The things I get accomplished when I spend time actually alone and by myself amazes me...I’ve tried to make the best out of quarantine and I’ve kinda enjoyed the lack of obligation to always be out. I get to do things that I usually never had time for, like write.”
“Become productive in ways you wouldn’t before.”
“It’s okay to take time for yourself, it’s not selfish and is sometimes necessary! Also, stop pretending that things don’t bother you when they actually do!”
“Any accomplishment, no matter how small, is important.”
“During quarantine, I really learned to prioritize my faith and my relationship with God. Although it was a crazy time during the pandemic, quarantine allowed me to really take time to strengthen my faith and that relationship. It provided me with a lot of peace and comfort, during a time of chaos. Putting God first in my life and leaving everything, including all fear, worry, and doubt, has really helped everything else to fall in place.”
“Being online with school has definitely been different- like learning how to adjust from in person classes to completely online. One thing that I have had to learn was time management. I say this because being online, the teachers just assign lectures to watch and homework with a certain due date and that’s all. It’s all up to me as to when to do it before the due date. So time management is a skill I have had to get better at because I suck at procrastination and it’s been kicking me in the ass.”
“Just because people don’t talk to you/hang out with you frequently doesn’t mean they don’t like you.”
“Take the time to really understand the people who are truly there for you.”
“There’s more to life than social media and Netflix- I’m absolutely tired of my phone! I want to be more intentional with my personal interactions with others. Conversation is the root of all relationships.”
“You have not because you ask not.”
“I found I have to have people around me. We as humans are not meant to be isolated.”
Julia Blackburnis a McConnell Scholar in the Class of 2023. She studies biology, visual arts and political science at the University of Louisville.