Anytime we go into something new, we always try to predict the outcome. Even though we know there is no way to control it. For example, it may be something as big as entering a college event; that we all wish we could control.   To get a feel for the difference between expectations and reality.

With the many restrictions and changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic over the last nine months this can be particularly true for students who are early on in the college careers.

Mia Lochasvio, a sophomore I interviewed said

“Nothing too out of the ordinary was different for me this semester,” Loschiavo said. “It was pretty much how I expected it to go.”

For Brooke Klein, the shift has been more drastic.

“This semester is a little different than I expected,” Klein said. “Of course no one could have predicted COVID to change our lives this much, but it just seems unreal.”

COVID-19 most definitely had a huge impact on everyone’s lives and how I go about our day-to-day routines, Katherine Pappas said.

“It is a little bit different than I expected.”

With any big change comes strong emotions, Lochasvio said.

“Overall, my semester was pretty good and surprisingly seemed to fly by.”

Everyone seems to be overworked and tired from everything happening in the world, a little peace might be nice, Klein said.

“My semester has been pretty easy considering the circumstances,” Klein said. “Definitely would have been a little smoother without COVID.”

For Pappas things turned out a little different.

“My semester was pretty average overall, but towards the end kind of went downhill,” Pappas said. “It seems like everyone’s stress levels have gone through the roof, including mine.” 

Even though these stressful circumstances quickly came out of nowhere, people were curious if these students would have done anything differently this semester.

Loschavio said

“I don’t think I have any control to change anything that happened this semester.” Although we may get stressed out about the things we can not control, considering these circumstances during the pandemic, there is absolutely nothing to do about the changes, Klein said.

“If I knew this big change was coming this semester, I would have stayed in online classes from the beginning.”There is nothing anyone could have done to predict these extreme changes and stressful events of 2020, Pappas said.

“I wish I had been a little bit more organized this semester.”

Overall, everyone’s stress levels have been crazy, and no one really seems to know what to do anymore. There is no way to predict what will come next, and things may get worse or better in the near future, Lochasvio said.

“This semester was most definitely one of the hardest ones for me, especially for my mental health.” No matter what type of stressful situation is occurring in our lives, it is almost impossible to determine how our minds will react, Klein said.

“School has always stressed me out a little bit, but nothing like this,” she said. “I have been so extremely stressed this semester and just completely drained mentally and physically.”

Especially when a stressful event changes something that consumes most of our life, it can be even harder on our mental health, Pappas said.

“During the beginning of the semester, it wasn’t too bad, and I felt prepared for school as a whole.”