So with my life update, I updated it mentioning how I had to go home given the shutdown of UVA, and the school saying how it decided to move classes online until further notice. The decision of whether or not students would return to Grounds was supposed to be reviewed by April 5th, however last night I received a very harrowing email.
President Jim Ryan basically stated that the decision to wait until April 5th was no longer an option considering how it would be unlikely that the spread of the disease would die down by that point. Our classes are now completely moved online and I am in shock. I am feeling so many emotions and honestly, blogging is the only way to deal with that right now.
I am feeling disappointed. For the fourth years who won’t be walking across the Lawn in May, my heart is just saddened. For this reason alone, I wish the administration would have waited until the last possible second to make this decision. I know many fourth years who had made their graduation plans ages ago. Their families had rented out houses, grad parties were already planned, family consulted. My friends will not get to celebrate the last four years of their lives like they should.
I am feeling sad. I left UVA in such a hurry to get home. I wish my parents would have let me stay a day longer. I literally found out the news, told my parents, and then got in a bus a few hours later for a long bus ride back to NYC. Safety first, I know. I just didn’t get to say goodbye to my friends. I didn’t get to say goodbye to Grounds.
I am feeling incomplete. The whole 2nd chapter of my second year, second semester at school was interrupted and replaced by a nightmare. I know that what I had to lose wasn’t as much as most people, but I still lost time with the people I love in a place I love. I still have to grieve that.
Due to the circumstances, I’m home but it feels really hard to enjoy this time when school has started and I don’t have the support system that I have at school. Distance really does make the heart grow fonder.
Sorry for the short post, folks.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay hopeful.
Signing off,
Gigi
