While CSUF finishes the semester online, Titan Comms interns are writing first-person blog posts to document this unique experience.
Graduating from college can be stressful enough but graduating college in the middle of a pandemic? What can get worse? My last semester of my senior year began with joy and excitement as I am set to graduate in May and be out in the real world. Stress? Yes. But excitement to graduate and have a job? Absolutely.
When I first saw CSUF was switching to online classes, I didn’t think much about it. It said mandatory virtual instruction was to take place until April 25th. My instant thought was okay. I’ll take a one month break from school and be back and finish out my senior year. Then as the virus grew and continued to get worse, I realized this wasn’t going to happen and I was going to have to spend the rest of my senior year behind a screen.
I came into the semester very busy spending sometimes 12-15 hours on campus daily. Being a producer on two shows and having an on campus job definitely kept me busy but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Getting footage for my reel and building my resume was something I know that I needed to do this semester to get a job post-graduation. The recent COVID-19 Pandemic has put everything on hold and put stress up to the next level. According to the CDC there have been over 1.5 million cases worldwide with over 400,000 of those right here in the United States. And the worse has yet to come.
The stay at home orders nationwide and the switch to online classes has added another dimension to an already stress filled last semester. Being a communications and journalism major where most classes are hands-on and not online for a reason has been different. Professors are having to figure out how to have students complete video packages when you can’t go outside and get footage and interview people? Or go cover events and sporting events when there aren’t any going on.
This has got me not only stressed about classes and grades right now but also my future. Getting a job post graduation is tough but getting a job in the middle of a pandemic right out of college? Good luck. This has questions circling my head daily.
Will jobs still hire?
When will this end?
Will I still be able to get that job post graduation?
This is all something no one has ever seen. Unprecedented times with really no end in sight. Experts have stopped given timetables because, well, they have not been accurate yet. I know it will take some time but we will get through this. We are all in this together. Do your part. Stay inside, stay safe and it will all be over soon.
