Well, it's been a whole three days since my school has begun a mandatory quarantine and man has it been tough. Being an extrovert, and someone who loves the social interactions that come naturally with college, here are the little things I miss most about non-quarantine life.
Walking to Class
Walking to class may sound like a mundane task, however for me, the walk to class is the perfect way to quickly socialize. When I walk to class I see good friends where we exchange a quick greeting and a confirmation for our coffee plans later in the day. I see an old friend that I have yet to see and we have a quick chat about how they are. The conversation typically ends with one of us exclaiming "I'll text you later and we'll make a plan" as we continue on our separate paths to class. It's bumping into a classmate in the hallway and recapping the homework and how the exam went while walking into the classroom. All of this happens in a quick 10 minutes on the dash from one classroom to another, and man do I miss it!
Socializing From my Porch
Being a senior, I am lucky enough to have an off campus home with a porch to sit on that overlooks the heavily trafficked path to campus. Sometimes I sit out there and eat lunch, other times I sit out there and finish some homework. Many times my roommates and I socialize on our porch. But I can guarantee one thing, there is always someone to say hello to from that porch. A friend walking to class, a neighbor moving his or her trash bins from the front yard to the back after trash day. A classmate going for a run and giving a quick wave as they pass by. Because we're all in lockdown, sitting on the porch means seeing no one!
Going out to eat
I am the worst cook known to mankind. Not only am I bad at it, I hate it. The amount of time it takes to make a decent meal is outrageous, so going out to eat is a must for me. I love going out to eat; I love the amount of different foods you can get at a restaurant. I love how you can get tacos, chicken parm, and chinese food all on one street and then all of your friends can enjoy their individual food choices together at home or outside in the beautiful city of Providence. I also love getting dressed up to go to a fancier restaurant and ordering a delicious meal and a fun cocktail to go along with the meal. Going out to eat is a social thing, and it brings people together. I thoroughly enjoy going out to eat with friends who I don't see all the time, in lockdown, this is impossible.
Going to work
I know that going to work may not sound super fun, but here's the thing: going to work allows for a change of scenery and more people to chat with. I am working remotely now and that has taken away the fun of work. I love going to a "coffee meeting" where work things are discussed over a cup of coffee and a cookie. I love seeing the pictures of my coworkers' pets and vacations at their desks and learning more about everyone I work with. I love and miss getting dressed up and feeling like an adult, even if it's just for a few hours each week.
Working on group projects
Many of my closest friendships in college have developed from group projects. Especially group projects that last the whole semester. These projects have so many elements to them and require a united team that you work closely with. Many semesters we meet so much that you eat at least one meal a day with your group. From these projects you learn not just new educational topics, but tips about little things, like shortcuts on excel, or personal things about group members.People who would normally be class friends have become genuine friends that will last a lifetime! Now, these projects are occurring completely remotely, and as a result the work is done more on an individual basis which in the end comes together to form a finished, less united product.
I understand that this quarantine is for our safety, and that is why I will follow it until it is safe to ease up a bit, but it will definitely be a struggle to not have the many fun and subtly social aspects of College life.
