My Photo Essay: Media, Self, and 2surviv4l

        The year 2020 will go down in history as a crazy year. So much has happened this past year including a pandemic, the rise of racial and social justice issues, and even a controversial and divisive election. As a college student in the year 2020, my freshmen fall semester has been like no other semester. 

        Even before I arrived on campus, I knew that my freshman fall semester would not have played out as it has, if not for the pandemic. From the moment I arrived, I have had to wear a mask anytime I have hung out with friends, taken a walk outside by McKeldin Mall, and even when I was doing work outside of my dorm room when other people were around. Many of the common area spaces had limited capacity which has made it harder to interact and spend time with other people. At the start of this semester, I truly expected and was concerned that I would be lonely, would struggle to make friends, and would not enjoy my college experience. However, this was not what actually happened. 

        Although there were some challenges along the way, I have managed to make the best out of this difficult situation. I have found ways to have fun, meet other people, get my school work done efficiently, and found ways to cope with everything that has been happening this year. I even made, what I believe, lifelong friends despite how hard it has been to interact with other people. I especially spent time with them during lunch, as we would sit outside socially distant from each other, but still managed to hang out and have fun. Another concern of mine was that I would be stuck in my room all day attending zoom classes, studying, and doing other homework assignments. However, this was not often the case as I found study spaces outside of my dorm room, such as in front of McKeldin Library, and, for a change of scenery, I sometimes even did my work in the Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center building. Of course, I have also experienced school-related stress due to my grades and various other assignments. To cope, I have bought myself some treats, such as ice cream, to calm my nerves. I also sometimes have gone for walks and explored the campus to get fresh air and to cope with my stress. I believe that I have successfully managed to have a good social life and balanced my school work and stress well in the midst of this restrictive environment.

        In addition to my fears that the virus would hinder my social life and school life, I worried about the election. Not only did I worry about which candidate would win, I did not like how divisive this election has made our country. However, since I tried to avoid social media and news coverage that pertained to politics and to the election, I was able to quell my concerns surrounding the election and its divisiveness.

        Attending college this year, in the midst of everything that has been going on in the world, has meant so much to me. First of all, I am thirsty for knowledge and enjoy learning about different subjects. Also, I was glad that I was able to be on campus this semester. I did not want this virus to take away from my college experience, physically being on the University of Maryland campus. Therefore, I was glad that, even though the virus has taken away so much, I was still able to be on the beautiful campus here at the University of Maryland. Additionally, being part of Media Scholars has been important to me. Since I have always been fascinated by media and television, I am glad I have had the privilege to learn more about it over the past few months. I am so grateful that I have been part of the University of Maryland, and specifically Media Scholars, and look forward to next semester.