Quarentinewhile....
Hey everyone, its been a while since I have written a post. With Covid-19 disrupting all of our lives it is hard to adjust to the everyday changes. I am writing this new post from my new apartment at Brookside student living in downtown Columbia. Before I let you know what is in store for me this Junior year, I may as well give you a sum up of the events that have happened since I moved back home in March.
When the pandemic first reached Missouri, more than half the student population got up and left their dorms within a matter of days to bunker safely in their homes. While everyone was evacuating campus, I still had to work my Desk Attendant job at one of the student dormitories on campus. Not only did all of my classes move online, my nights were definitely more boring than they were before. From midnight shifts that went from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and sometimes 3 a.m., I was not a happy camper. Finally after 2 weeks of what seemed like limbo, I was given the choice to either stay on campus for the rest of the semester or head home. I immediately submitted my release form and headed back to Willow Springs at the end of that week.
In terms of classes being online, my curriculum got easier than what I started with at the beginning of the semester. My microeconomics class went from an extremely difficult class that required students to explain curve graphs in certain markets, to just a bunch of easy homework assignments that were all connected to online lectures. My archeology course asked me to write two essays on ancient cultures. After reading an issue and a half of National Geographic, I submitted my essays and ended my semester with an A. The other two classes were just a collection of online quizzes. In short- I ended the semester way better than I started.
When I got back home to Chicago, I once again took up my position as a deli slicer at Kramer Foods in Hinsdale. With Covid spreading across the Chicagoland area, I was required to wear a mask and gloves while I worked. Also, a lot of the potato and chicken salads were placed in plastic storage containers instead of large bins. Many customers did not like this change of pace, but understood the safety precautions the store was making to keep people in the public safe.
Towards the end of June, I decided it was time to take a little vacation. I had planned the trip a few weeks before with my Dad, and it turned out to be quite the adventure. Out trip route was to take the whole entire Lake Michigan Circle Tour. We would head up north through Wisconsin and across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan only then to head back south through the rest of the state, enter Indiana, and end right back at home. We started our trip on the 28th of June and our goal for that day was to make it to Door County. We initially had a campsite reserved at Peninsula State Park, but due to the weather we had to take refuge in a motel at Bailey’s Harbor. Door County itself is a peninsula that is part of Wisconsin. It is well known for its beautiful fall colors, scenery, outdoor activities, and summer getaways. The next day our goal was to reach Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore off the coast of Lake Superior in the Michigan UP, where we had another reserved campsite. It took us the entire day to get up there from Door County, but it was definitely worth the trip. Due to the UP being so far north, when we arrived it must have been around 50 some degrees. This prompted us to change into sweatshirts and jeans. For dinner that evening we ate some delicious kielbasa that was given to by a family friend some days prior to our trip. It was around 9:30 p.m. and the sun still had not set. Dad and I decided to take a hike on the beach. From the beach we saw the most beautiful sunset. The crashing of the waves and the water reflecting the sun-drip color of the sun made the beach glow as the sun set lower and lower until it looked like a tiny orange ball peeking out over the horizon. For the rest of the trip we check out some cool waterfalls at Tahquamenon State Park, saw Canada and the remnants of Great Lake shipwrecks at Whitefish Point, and spent a full day at Mackinac (pronounced mack-i-nah) Island. Overall, it was a great trip and a well deserved way to take a break from work.
For the rest of the summer, I continued working behind the deli counter and made some friends along the way. I also spent an enjoyable time at my best friend’s lake house in Wisconsin for Fourth of July weekend. That weekend trip was also the first time I drove on the interstate by myself, which I thought was very cool given that I have always freaked a little bit out when driving on multiple lane highways.
Now, I am all set in my new apartment back in Columbia and ready to take on the new semester! I only have four classes this semester, those classes include History of the Hellenistic World, Broadcast Journalism 101, Communications Law, and last but not least Macroeconomics. Three of these classes will be held in person, so I have full intentions of wearing a mask every time I go to attend my lectures and lessons. I am not sure how my broadcasting class will work out, but I know it will definitely be a very hands on class. During this semester I am also studying for the GRE Exam in hopes I can continue my studies to get a master’s degree by my fifth year. It all depends on balancing my studies with the classes I have, cooking and cleaning in my apartment, and maybe having a part-time job. It will be tough, but I am determined to do well this next half of the year.
Until Next Time!
Sean