There were so many good things that happened at NDSU this year

This week, I want to discuss how grateful I am to be able to attend events and classes on campus this school year. In March of 2020, I was worried if I would even get to live on campus. Things have changed, vaccines have become available and immune systems have gotten stronger.  

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I moved into the dorms in August 2020. I know I was worried about being sent home due to the pandemic. I was worried if we would get to experience things just like every other freshman class. 

I was worried about how my classes would go with the HyFlex plan in place. I was worried about going home and getting my family sick. There were so many worries when I first came to campus my freshman year.  

Now here I am, end of April 2021. Thinking about how we all just survived a year of college in a pandemic. How we were able to experience fun things, just like other freshmen classes, although it might have looked a little different. How we may have gotten quarantined at least once this year and somehow managed to survive. There are so many ways I recognize us surviving a year of college in a pandemic.  

Not only were we able to attend classes in person – but we were also able to attend sporting events such as football, basketball, softball, baseball and many others. We were able to live in the dorms – with a roommate, suitemates and with many other people on our dorm floor.  

We were able to get help if we needed it, the Counseling Center was always available to help us if we needed it. We were able to talk to our advisors and teachers in person or over Zoom. We were even able to meet people in our classes, pretty weird right?  

Although we may look at this year and think, “Wow this year of school wasn’t great,” there were so many things we were able to do that other schools or students were not able to do. NDSU has given us so many opportunities, even in the middle of a pandemic and I am extremely grateful. 

NDSU, thank you for giving us the opportunity to attend classes through HyFlex, for supporting us, allowing us to watch sporting activities, compete in events or by just allowing us to meet people this year. I know this year was far from perfect, but I am grateful for the opportunities that were available this year.  

Looking back on this past year at NDSU, I hope you realize how awesome it is that we got to attend classes and events in person. I hope you are proud of yourself for surviving this past year of college. I know I am proud.