This being my first year in university, I didn’t know quite what to expect going in. I expected to be swamped with school work, hardly making my way by. I had a few other things I was worried about as well. Was my roommate going to be alright? Would I find a group of friends? 

“Yes” was the answer to both of these questions. I enjoyed every moment with my friends, the classwork was a breeze, and my roommate turned out pretty good too. Studying Psychology and Writing Studies, I found that my workload was a lot more manageable than I thought it would be, even taking 18 credit hours this past spring semester. 

Another concern I had was my knack for leaving important things in strange places. In my first month, I only lost one thing: My backpack. It turned out to be no big deal––I had just left it in the dining hall foyer one evening. The next morning it was gone. Note to self: Campus Security removes suspicious backpacks that remain in the dining hall foyer overnight. I retrieved my backpack from the Facilities Management building later that morning after wandering half of campus trying to find it. 

As the COVID-19 Pandemic evolved, a group of friends and I took full advantage of a mostly empty Campus Center and played hide-and-seek. Now, students from all years are in a situation that is unique. A Pandemic has swept the world, disrupting normal life. This includes the life of us, as students. This year, no one will be able to be at end of the year events. 

All these things lead to many more questions than I had when I came into EMU, like: 

“Will we be back for fall classes?”

“When am I getting money back for housing?”

“When will I be with my friends again?”

The answers, or best guesses by EMU, are listed on EMU’s student life FAQ page for Spring 2020. Unfortunately, many of the questions I and others have will not have concrete answers until later on.

Despite the unorthodox ending, this was a fun year. I already miss the group of friends that grew throughout my time so far at EMU. This year was cut short, but, in a way, this isn’t much different than an extended summer. Yes, graduation celebrations have been changed, and to you seniors out there, I am sorry for that loss. Yes, classes are online and it is terrible, but even if the year had not been cut short, I would still miss my friends. I will look at this year with nothing but fond memories; COVID can’t ruin my first year at EMU.