March 13, 2020, the Tennessee State University Office of President announced that the university will be closing all campus resident dorms and apartments and spring semester courses will continue via online learning. March 15, 2020, was an emotional day for me. Looking at my empty freshmen dorm broke my heart. Like many other college students, I was not ready to leave college so soon. Being a Tennessee State freshmen and band member, I was looking forward to the spring semester. Tigerfest, the Spring Game, Greek probate shows, the AOB Explosion, and many other activities. Ms. Rona ruined all that for me. Yes, those activities will be there next spring semester, but it will not be the same. I feel like my freshmen year was not fully completed.
Life in quarantine has not been an easy adjustment. Before quarantine, I considered myself a homebody. But being in quarantine has helped me learn that I need to leave my house at least once a day. Adjusting to online classes has been a struggle. I don’t have the discipline to concentrate, do school work, and study while in the comfort of my own home. I need to be in a classroom and library to get work accomplished. Being in your hometown and unable to spend time with friends and family is difficult. If I have to get something from my aunt or grandma’s house, I have to wear a mask in the house or they bring whatever I need to be wearing a face mask and gloves. The dance studio I was trained at is closed, so I cannot work on my dance technique for the next band season or visit my old teammates and students. At the beginning of the quarantine, nail salons and beauty supply stores were open. I was able to get my nails and hair braided. Now we’re almost a month into quarantine and the nail salons and beauty supply stores are closed, and I desperately need my nails done.
Though being quarantined is not the ideal situation I want to be in right now. I want to make the best out of this time. Thankfully, I found a job, so I am able to get out of the house for a little while and also make money to take back to college with me. Also, once school is over I would like to start reading more, or start using Duolingo to relearn French, or learn new handwriting, or work on my embroidery or do something productive and creative.
-Celeste Boykin