Being a Second-Year on Campus, But Feeling Like a First-Year, What Do I Do?
By: Caroline Geraghty
Covid has caused a lot of change in our lives in the past year and a half. I never got my senior prom or my high school graduation then I moved off to this new school, away from home after being stuck in my house for 6 months straight. I felt like a stranger. A year has passed since then and I still feel like a stranger to this city. I have 2 semesters of college under my belt but I still feel confused around this campus. Freshman usually have that sense of stress at the beginning of the year trying to figure out this new life we signed up for, but sophomores this year are experiencing the same phenomenon. I’ve probably only stepped foot in two classrooms my whole college career and most of my classes this semester are virtual again. I constantly ask myself what I can do to feel more in touch to the Ohio State community and how do I really make the most of my educational experience even being online for yet another semester?
Joining clubs have been my saving grace. I joined clubs through Fisher, like American Marketing Association, and I also joined Greek life. Without this, I would continue to feel like another number at this humongous school. Clubs make Ohio State school feel so much smaller, and I know it’s hard to really figure out what clubs are out there with everything being online for the past year, but thankfully campus is opening back up and we are allowed to start some meetings in person again. I encourage any freshman or sophomore reading this, that if you still feel like Fisher or the university in general is just too big to navigate, research some clubs or extra involvement you can do. Talk to people on your floor, your RA or your classmates. The likelihood of at least one of these people being involved in a club is high, and they might be able to send you in the right direction.
Get out of the dorms, I beg you. Even if it just means going to the union or 18th avenue to do a class, it’s refreshing just to get out of your room sometime. Especially at the beginning of my freshman year, I would do most of my work in my room and I lost my focus quick. Just getting out and walking around campus helps you feel more in touch with the community and gives you the feeling like you’re going to class, even though you just log into zoom. A big problem I also faced throughout online classes was finding a good spot-on campus where I can do my classes that I have to speak in. Places like the Union and the University Starbucks on High Street are my personal favorite study spots, but you don’t have to be dead silent like in Thompson.
If you ever find yourself feeling cooped up or just bored and wanting a walk, go on a stroll around campus and don’t be afraid to go into different building. Say you have never been in 18th avenue library, go on a walk over there and just peak inside. Doing this will help you feel less intimidated if you ever decide to do work in there later in the semester. You can do this in Fisher too! The few in person classes I have this semester are all in Schoenbaum Hall and those doors are almost always open. Just go take a walk around a building so it doesn’t seem as mysterious to you. No one will question you if you just take a walk around the building. Everyone in fisher is worrying about themselves, even though it may feel like all eyes are on you, I guarantee no one is questioning your presence.
These are just a few things that I have done personally to get me through Covid college, and I would most definitely say they have helped. Overall, just don’t be scared to step out of your comfort zone. I know it may be intimidating at first, but every time I have so far here at Ohio State, I haven’t regret it one bit.