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With the recent events regarding COVID-19, many students' lives have been flipped upside down. Classes have been canceled and/or converted to an online format, Spring Breaks extended, and much school-related traveling has been canceled or postponed.
Here’s my story:
During the second week of March 2020, 4-year universities started to convert all of their in-person courses to an online format, effective until early April. As the movement grew, many students at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) became worried. The Agriculture Department was less than one week away from our National Professional Agriculture Students (PAS) Competition. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) was three weeks away from traveling to Texas for Catalyst. Many students had just started planning for their events, including volunteering, competitions, and learning-based tours. All of these plans have now been canceled and pdlut on hold due to health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dear Students,
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now say to yourself “I will be okay”.
Life is constantly going to keep bringing you obstacles you must face. While some are going to be a taller and wider wall, it doesn’t make those challenges impossible.
If your Spring Break has been extended, take the time to be with your immediate family and/or personally rejuvenate. You can be like me, and take your time to complete all your spring cleaning, junk removal, and home renovations.
For any events that have been canceled, take a step back to understand you’re not the only person going through this. While you may have missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, your life will bring bigger and better opportunities.
You will keep growing and succeeding.
COVID-19 will not hold your personal growth or your professional development back. These series of events occurring will actually provide you the time to evaluate your strengths and your weaknesses, redevelop your goals, and approach tomorrow with a new mindset.
The majority of K-12 schools and post-secondary schools are converting to another form of classes, such as online. For many students, hearing the word “online” for coursework, will cause instant anxiety. Emotions of sadness, anger, and fear may be created within you. You feel as if you are not receiving the full value of the education you paid for. Worries invade your brain, making you unable to succeed in this new medium of learning. While medical disabilities may make my last sentence true, this change of learning actually becomes the prime opportunity to adapt to change.
Change will always be a factor in your path; however, the power you possess will make you strong enough to account for that factor.
While those feelings of sadness, anger, and fear may be grounded within you, take a moment to step back, look above them, and realize how you can turn today into an opportunity for growth.
You should also remember that you have many individuals around you to help you in these times. Parents, family, friends, instructors, co-workers, manager, your pets, and the list goes on.
Now I want you to close your eyes again and keep saying “I will be okay, because____”.
… my parents are here to talk to me.
… my instructors want to see me succeed.
… my co-workers are feeling the same emotions as me.
… my dog/cat/any animal loves me.
… my pet fish will be there when I need to talk.
… I will use today as an opportunity to grow.
With much love,
A concerned college student
If you want to reach out to talk, I will always be here. Please send me an email (jodie.weyland@gmail.com) or direct message me.
Pictured is the 2018 - 2019 PAS Officer Team at the FVTC Student Government Awards Banquet.
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