As the last semester of my college life began, I started to think about how unfortunate it is that Coronavirus has negatively affected my college experience. What I dreamed of for my last semester is that I would meet other fellow graduating students with the same struggles of employment, grow my professional network, and attend a graduation ceremony. Honestly, I find it highly unlikely that Northeastern University would hold an in-person graduation ceremony.
Classes are so much harder to learn from. I find myself dozing off during my Zoom sessions or doing other work. I feel my attention span decreasing and deadlines harder to meet. Connectivity issues are another huge roadblock that cannot be helped. My eyes are so sore from all of the blue light they’re absorbing. I honestly find it a bit of a waste of money. However, I did notice that professors are a bit more lenient when it comes to grading due all of these issues.
Furthermore, the job market has become so much more competitive due to COVID layoffs, college graduates from last year who were affected negatively by COVID, and graduating students like myself. I recently purchased LinkedIn Premium, which gives me access to data about other applicants that apply to specific postings and where I stand. I came to find entry-level jobs that require 0-2 years of experience have applications from VP and senior-level applicants. Of course, they have a richer resume and work experience than I do. Even if I were the employers, I would much rather hire someone with more experience than a recent grad with 1.5 years of co-op experience.
Overall, I am just disappointed that a significant chapter of my life is closing in the middle of a seemingly never-ending pandemic. My only hope is that everyone stays safe, wears masks, take proper protocols when meeting friends and family, and that future graduating classes will actually have a graduation ceremony.
