This year was very different from what I had expected and hoped it would be.  This entire year has come with lots of changes for everyone due to the pandemic.  Because of this, my first year in college came with more struggles than I was expecting.  I knew from seeing my older siblings go to college that the transition could be rough, and I had a lot of doubt that I would be able to handle it well.  With all the added problems that the pandemic brought, such as all my classes being online, it added to my worry.  It was a lot harder to connect with other students, classmates, and professors than it would have been if things were in-person.  Despite all the struggles that this year brought, however, I made it through by persevering and adjusting to the situation that the pandemic brought. 

          After losing so much senior year because of the pandemic, I was determined to get the best out of my first year of college, even with all the new restrictions in place.  I adjusted to the new normal that this past school year brought and made the most of the situation.  I was able to join student clubs and worked hard to connect with my classmates even in the online setting and was able to make connections through that.  We were all in the same situation and were able to work together to make the most out of it.     It could have been a terrible semester, but instead, I was able to make it a great one through adjustment and community with other students. 

          Second semester brought its own onslaught of challenges.  The situation with the pandemic didn’t change much, and everything continued solely online for me.  I got a part-time job at the IT Solutions Center at UC at 20 hours a week in the spring semester, was taking 18 credit hours, and was involved in two student clubs.  I had to really work hard to make sure I could manage my crazy schedule.  Again, this past semester could have turned out terribly, but I had a great support system to keep me going.  The connections with other students I made the last semester grew stronger, and my manager at work became a great mentor, always pushing me to do and become my best, truly believing that I could do amazing things.  Through those people, I was able to work through all the struggles of the semester and it was filled with great experiences.   

          Though this year brought a lot of hardship, I wouldn’t change it.  It was partly due to the unusual circumstances that I was able to meet some truly amazing people and was given a lot of great opportunities for growth.  I’ve accomplished a lot this year, and I’m really proud of myself.  It took a lot of hard work, but it was worth it in the end to see the results of my accomplishments.  I took an undesirable situation and make the best out of it instead of lamenting over it, even though there were many times I wanted to.  However, I am really looking forward to doing in-person classes in my second year and experiencing that.