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Get the inside scoop about life at U-M and applying to Michigan from Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff and guest student and faculty writers.
Last December, I wrote a blog post introducing three different reasons for seeking out academic advising at the University of Michigan. During this post, I discussed how advisors can help you explore course options, plan for the future, and troubleshoot academic struggles.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: many University of Michigan students, myself included, lost their summer internships due to the economic strain COVID-19 has put on our economy. And while some of us are using that time to take spring and summer courses, or studying for graduate school entry exams such as the GRE and LSAT, I know a few students who have absolutely nothing to do other than play video games, walk outside, and sleep every single day until fall arrives.
This year, the end of the winter semester was relatively anti-climactic. There were no in-person goodbyes, no hastily packing nine months of accumulated junk in a couple of hours, no last-minute plans with friends, no car (or plane) ride home. There was nothing that resembled what I typically associate with the end of the school year, except for the relief I felt turning in my last exam.
So many Michigan students work different jobs while also “working” as full-time students. I do it, and you can too! I’d also argue that it makes for a much better college experience. Many of my peers are also in agreement. In fact, I know so many more people on campus who balance a job with their studies than those who are only attending classes.
On March 11, I received an email from my English theory professor titled, “Our class is moving online…” Within less than a week, on March 17, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the statewide “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.
After spending a little over a month in online classes, I have learned a lot about how much time in the day I actually need to dedicate to my education. The first week, I had to fight the urge to mentally check out and enter summer vacation mode. Once I accepted the fact classes would be online for the foreseeable future, I found that remote learning was just as (if not more) manageable than in-person classes.
Sometime in December 2015, I was admitted to the University of Michigan after seven years of hard work throughout middle school and high school. When I first learned I would be a member of the #Victors2020 class, I was absolutely ecstatic. To this day, I consider it one of the greatest moments of my entire life.
1st Gen is a Theme Community for first-generation students: students who are the first in their family to attend college. In this close-knit 30-person community, students have opportunities to connect around their shared identity, showcase their individual strengths, and learn to navigate the University of Michigan together.
Since classes are now online, I’m watching lectures from my home in the mountains of Virginia. I’ve found that you can really make any place a place for watching lectures or doing homework: working from a bed, the kitchen table, the living room, the closet, etc.
Right now, it seems that every news source, television channel, and social media outlet comes out with more bad updates. With this constant influx of negativity, it can be quite difficult to stay afloat. To combat this, I recommend checking out U-M’s digital library, and taking some time to give your mind a break. It might be just what you need to relax. So here is a list of some lighthearted reads that will hopefully get your mind off things.
