COVID-19 pandemic redefines time at URI
As graduation approaches, seniors reflect on their time at URI during a pandemic. PHOTO CREDIT: Makayla Lane
The University of Rhode Island’s class of 2022 will turn their tassels this spring after experiencing over half of their college career during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mid-way through the spring 2020 semester, URI announced a full transition to online education for all students as the world discovered more information on the virus. What started as a short-term adjustment has led to two years of adversity for the Rhody community.
Current seniors are anticipating their approaching graduation, which is destined to be out of the ordinary, much like the rest of their time at URI.
Makayla Lane, a senior vocal performance major, said that missing out on in-person lessons and performances was the most difficult part of pandemic learning.
“We didn’t have juries,” she said. “We didn’t do any performances or classes in person, and it felt like the world stopped. You go from being in an ensemble everyday, making art and music with your friends, to seeing them on FaceTime and singing in your kitchen.”
Lane said that in spite of the challenges, the music department was lucky to have dedicated faculty and staff to support students for the past two years.
Another senior, Grace Donovan, said she experienced common threads as a public relations major.
“For the first year or so during COVID, I’d say college was just kind of miserable,” she said. “It was just going to Zoom lectures and doing work and it all felt very weird.”
Donovan said that although she made lots of friends during her freshman and sophomore years, the pandemic “threw a wrench” into expanding her inner-circle due to restrictions.
Both Lane and Donovan will graduate in May with bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields, despite earning a large portion of their credits through a computer screen.
Lane, who plans to immediately pursue her master’s degree, said that COVID-19 played a major role in her preparedness.
“I’m very excited to start this new chapter, but I also feel so under qualified and underprepared because I lost so much time,” she said. “I think a lot of people are in that situation.”
Lane said that she will always appreciate the support from her professors at URI for their hard work in educating young musicians during such uncertainty. She also described the music department at URI as a “family.”
According to Donovan, encountering COVID-19 as a college student could have contributed to her willingness to succeed.
“I feel like [COVID-19] has almost prepared me better, because the adversity taught me so many more skills, like doing everything online and being persistent,” she said.
Aside from classes, the class of 2022 has also navigated socialization in an abnormal light. Typical college interactions and events, such as Rhody sports or exploring the state, were minimized with the spread of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, Lane and Donovan are grateful for their experiences, with both describing graduation as “bittersweet.”
“It’s difficult to leave the music department because we’re our own little ecosystem,” Lane said. “But I think that we’re all just proud of each other every day.”
Donovan said that the pandemic made her appreciate the little things at URI more than ever before.
Going forward, Donovan said that her memories will be a great part of who she becomes.
“Most of my college experience has been taken away from me, and everything is ending so soon,” she said. “I’ve learned how to take every opportunity I can and appreciate all the memories right now.”
Commencement ceremonies for the class of 2022 are scheduled for the weekend of May 20. The university announced on Feb. 9 that the Main Commencement will return to the URI Quad. Individual college graduation ceremony procedures have yet to be announced.