CALIFORNIA, USA — This story was initially revealed by CalMatters.

Eight months into my first yr at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in Could 2021, I visited the college campus for the primary time. Due to the pandemic, I used to be taking class nearly from 200 miles away, and repeated COVID-19 spikes pushed a campus go to down on my listing of priorities. 

Seeing San Luis Obispo for the primary time made me replicate on how I solely had one college yr to spend within the metropolis and take in all that was left in my undergraduate expertise. Benefiting from that point was important for me — I’m a graduate of El Camino School, and transferring to a college from a group school in the midst of the pandemic wasn’t a straightforward transition. 

I made a grand complete of 5 pals throughout a yr of college over Zoom. I clung to the concept that issues can be totally different within the fall, after I moved to San Luis Obispo for my first, final and solely in-person yr at Cal Poly. 

After I received on campus, it felt nice however at some factors, school felt tremendous lonely. Different instances felt overwhelming, and stuffed with grief: I misplaced family members and pals to COVID-19 and different well being situations. I used to be going through burnout, too. 

I do know I’m not alone. Going to varsity throughout a pandemic has been difficult, annoying, and anxiety-inducing for a lot of college students. At the least for me, out of these challenges got here counting the small wins, like finishing an project on time or cooking one thing tasty.

In a month, I’ll be capable of stroll the stage at a commencement ceremony — one thing not each graduating class received to expertise throughout this pandemic. That’s a welcome bookend signifying that regardless of all the pieces hurled at me and my friends, we made it to the top.

The CalMatters School Journalism Community talked to different California college students as they wrapped up their school careers. Listed here are their tales in their very own phrases — what they’ve discovered, how they’ve modified, and what it’s wish to navigate school in a pandemic. (Feedback have been edited for size and readability.) 

I took a yr off throughout the pandemic, so the thought of coming again for my senior yr was tremendous unusual. I felt like I used to be dwelling my life — I had a job (at a museum again residence), and I used to be doing all these items outdoors of school. I couldn’t conceptualize being a pupil once more. 

After I got here again to highschool, a variety of my preliminary class had graduated. It undoubtedly felt type of like coming again to love a ghost city somewhat bit. It felt like being a freshman once more, in a bizarre means.

Having that yr off modified my understanding of what it means to be a pupil a ton. Having the house away from college was actually validating in realizing that I can create a life for myself that’s actually great — and the place I felt like I used to be studying a ton and it wasn’t inside this tremendous tiny establishment. 

After which after I got here again to highschool, I believe I felt a lot extra company when it comes to creating that type of house and people communities at college. 

This semester has been one of the best semester of all of my time in school as a result of I simply stopped having the worth system of what I’ve been informed school ought to appear like. I’ve overloaded myself on issues that aren’t college in a variety of actually good methods.

I’ve been working at two of the on-campus artwork facilities and instructing courses for these and operating the curler skating membership. I really feel like I’ve gotten actually into the issues that basically matter to me and haven’t been placing my vitality into issues that don’t.

— Interviewed by Carolyn Kuimelis

Just a few months earlier than the pandemic, I began going to Metropolis School of San Francisco. Considered one of my boyfriend’s pals stated that they have been providing free courses for individuals who have been residents of San Francisco. So, I used to be like, ‘OK, that’s nice. Let me go there and examine what I would like.’ 

I began with only one class, an (English as a second language) class as a result of I used to be not assured with my English stage, and it was in-person for the primary few months. After which when the pandemic occurred, we began doing on-line courses. I do know it’s type of arduous for many individuals to do courses on-line. However I wouldn’t have been in a position to go to varsity the best way I did, if it wasn’t (for) the pandemic. I don’t have a automotive and stay an hour away from school. I used to be apprehensive concerning the commute as a result of I must work. The pandemic allowed me to do each issues on the identical time.

Nonetheless, I suffered from a variety of nervousness as a result of I’m a first-generation pupil so I didn’t know what to anticipate. And I put a variety of strain on myself. I’m graduating with a 4.0. I really feel superb due to that, however I don’t know if it was price it to cry each semester as a result of I used to be careworn.

My counselor, Anastasia, received me by it. She actually modified my life. Each semester I used to be like, ‘I’m not going to have the ability to do it. I’m not going to have the ability to do it.’ I keep in mind crying and assembly along with her, and he or she was at all times so supportive. I didn’t even know the way to register for a category. Anastasia helped me rather a lot with that as a result of I used to be tremendous misplaced.

For a few years, I thought of going to varsity, however I used to be scared. You begin pondering that you simply’re not clever, or it’s not your first language so it may be harder for you. I didn’t begin as a result of I used to be afraid. And now that I completed the primary two years, it’s like ‘OK, I did it.’ And I did it in an enormous means — it helps rather a lot with the way you see your self and your self-confidence.

— Interviewed by Emily Margaretten

My expertise at UC Berkeley earlier than the pandemic was truthfully cinematic. On (Admit Day) 2018, it was sundown and I used to be strolling up this hill in direction of the Campanile. The sunshine was hitting completely. They have been taking part in one in every of my favourite instrumentals. Simply having that scene and realizing that ‘Hey, I’m at my dream college, I achieved it’— it felt actually blissful and it was the beginning of an incredible journey at Berkeley. 

I really feel like throughout my senior yr, I’ve been chasing that feeling. I didn’t have any in-person lectures, even throughout my final semester, regardless that Berkeley was on a hybrid mannequin. It has type of been a grieving course of, realizing that I’ll by no means be in lecture halls once more. I’ll by no means have one other undergraduate expertise. 

Anybody can at all times be a pupil once more. There’s masters or doctoral applications, however you’ll be able to by no means be an undergrad once more. It has made me actually unhappy. What I’ve actually taken away is that what issues is the individuals I encompass myself with and understanding that these individuals will keep in my life. 

I’ve felt jealous of the underclassmen who will get a full expertise at Berkeley. I’ve some pals who’re of their sophomore yr. Being round them and seeing that mild of their eyes and the thrill they nonetheless carry —  that I keep in mind from my first yr — eases away the jealousy as a result of then I get excited and optimistic for them that we’re getting out of this pandemic and they’ll get these experiences. 

— Interviewed by Itzel Luna

Pc Science main, Math and French minor 

(The pandemic) taught me that it’s doable to outlive, like, it doesn’t matter what the state of affairs is. 

To begin with, I’m overseas. This isn’t my residence (Ghana). And so being in that state of affairs, I really feel like rather a lot may have gone mistaken. I may have been actually stranded or very lonely or very depressed, but it surely labored out. So I assume it simply confirmed me that it’s doable to outlive or thrive, even in dire circumstances. 

My second semester sophomore yr, when the pandemic occurred they usually kicked us off campus, I didn’t have anyplace to go. So my roommate really took me to his home in Arizona. I lived with him and his household for the remainder of the semester. 

Quite a lot of issues occurred throughout that point for worldwide college students. Since college was gonna be on-line, the federal government was making an attempt to determine how visas would work. And so there was this entire scare like, ‘Oh, they’re gonna kick all of the worldwide college students out of the U.S.?’  I used to be a bit calm about it. A part of the explanation why I used to be not very apprehensive was due to my religion. My religion was one thing I used to be in a position to depend on for simply, like, stability in a time of instability. 

One factor I’ve discovered by school is that friendships are a precious factor to have. Particularly when unseen circumstances occur, just like the pandemic, your friendships are the issues that you simply lean on that will help you to maintain going. The pandemic made me worth my friendships extra.

I’m going to maneuver to the Bay Space to start out working, like late August. I’m going to be working as a software program engineer at Google. I’m probably not scared about shifting to the Bay, regardless that I’ve by no means been there earlier than. I’m not worrying about it as a result of we’ve been by this already, like, I’ve been by the same state of affairs or worse state of affairs. 

— Interviewed by Elina Lingappa

Environmental Science main

Wanting again at myself as a freshman, I used to be very timid to affix a variety of areas on campus. I used to be very depending on others to assist me, like going to the eating corridor or going to class — I hated doing a variety of issues alone. And I assume that timidness prevented me from exploring different pursuits, or different areas on campus the place I really feel like I can discover a group. 

I got here from a reasonably non-diverse metropolis. My residential school (at UC Santa Cruz) wasn’t that numerous both. I used to be one in every of, I’d say, a pair individuals of colour in my residential school, and in my highschool too. And so I didn’t get to discover that identification in any respect till I received to varsity.

Fortunately sufficient, I joined Bayanihan, which is a Filipino group at UC Santa Cruz. And that undoubtedly offered me with the group that I used to be lacking out on in my first yr. 

My greatest reminiscence is that I failed my (calculus) collection. I failed it. I used to be like, ‘oh my gosh, I can’t be an environmental science main anymore. Like, what am I going to do?’ I didn’t really feel comfy going to my professor. I didn’t really feel comfy going to the TA. The one particular person I actually felt comfy going to was my ate — my mentor in Bayanihan. She was like, ‘Hear, we’ve these sources out there to you not solely inside the Filipino group however the college as nicely. Right here they’re, search them out, reap the benefits of them — you’re paying for them.’ I used to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, possibly that is going to work out. I’m going to complete the foremost that I wished to complete.’ 

I’d say to a lady of colour going to UC Santa Cruz or any establishment of upper schooling that ‘There are areas for you, they usually’re made by different college students who need to see you succeed and need to create a collective group that’s profitable and helps you.’ So I’d say, ‘Don’t be discouraged with how these school rooms look or how these sources deal with you as a result of there are areas on campus that need to assist you and need to see you (be) profitable.’

— Interviewed by Carolyn Kuimelis

Sustainable Agriculture and Meals Methods main

I transferred to UC Davis within the fall of 2020, which was a very fascinating time to switch as a result of it was full-on pandemic Zoom college. I used to be in a bunch of scholars who graduated from group school that first spring of the pandemic. There have been a variety of us having conversations like, ‘Ought to I wait? Ought to I defer for a yr after which switch?’ As a result of all the pieces felt so up within the air. 

A deciding second for me was after I known as my grandma. And he or she’s like, ‘Simply go to school. What else are you going to do?’

I attempted actually arduous to make pals as a lot as doable, but it surely was troublesome as a result of being a switch, you have already got the worry of ‘What if I don’t make pals?’ I discovered it too difficult to kind an actual reference to anybody on-line. You miss all of the strolling to class moments of simply chatting with somebody once you’re on Zoom. It doesn’t actually facilitate informal social interactions.

As soon as we returned in-person, I used to be in a position to make pals as a result of all of us have been wanting to know one another. However it felt type of quick and livid. Everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, we’re again in particular person!’ After which a couple of month later I discovered myself questioning, ‘Why am I so exhausted? Why do I really feel all these feelings?’ And I spotted I simply went from seeing a max of 20 individuals a day to seeing 3,000 individuals a day. 

I believe the pandemic served somewhat bit like a mirror, or wanting glass, to see the worth of school. And in a variety of methods, it has not been price it simply because of the exorbitant value of college. I’m fairly lucky I’ve a household that’s serving to me pay for faculty. However even in that case, it nonetheless looks like, ‘Why have been so many college students anticipated to pay the very same tuition for one thing that was so vastly totally different from what they signed up for initially?’

I believe for me, personally, making an attempt to cram a lot in such a brief span of time led to the chance of burnout. There’s type of a way of time misplaced because of the pandemic after which this want to wring out each doable alternative as a result of it’s so costly and short-lived.

— Interviewed by Emily Margaretten

Luna and Lingappa are fellows with the CalMatters School Journalism Community, a collaboration between CalMatters and pupil journalists from throughout California. Kuimelis and Margaretten are contributors to the community. Rashad is a senior fellow with the community. This story and different increased schooling protection are supported by the School Futures Basis.