The Future is Katie, St. Catherine University Magazine Spring 2021

Connection in Uncertain Times: Navigating Senior Year, Together

BY ELISABETH WULF ’21

My senior year has been full of firsts. It was my first year without entering the gates for the start of classes. It was also the first time I’ve been virtually employed. But this has also been a year of growing some of the strongest connections in this new reality.

There is something oddly comforting in the bond between seniors who are jointly experiencing our final college year during the pandemic. The pandemic has pushed us to be more intentional about our conversations, the topics we learn, and the time we spend with one another.

Pre-pandemic, I felt caught in a nonstop weekly cycle of commuting to events, classes, and work, finding time to study for exams, and trying to fit in a meetup with my professor or a friend. But now that classes are all at my fingertips online, I can take advantage of my professors’ office hours and better design my schedule.

These are just some discoveries in the “new normal.” I’ve accepted that my senior year doesn’t look how I wanted and that graduation won’t either because everything is tinged with uncertainty, leading to many unanswered questions in this uncharted territory.

I find myself having thoughts associated with impostor syndrome: Are the goals I made before the pandemic going to align with the needs of the post-crisis world? Will my studies in the history of psychology and media match up with the real-world needs and demands of the future? Will I be able to serve in a professional role with purpose while others are struggling?

Nevertheless, we seniors are completing our final degree requirements with some adjustments. The University set up a tiered system for courses to be in person and online depending on the course needs. Some are all online, some are hybrid, and some are entirely in-person. While my final communications courses can be completed virtually, it isn’t as straightforward for some healthcare courses, such as one that my friend Quynh Pham ’21 is taking for her nursing major.

ELISABETH WULF ’21 AND QUYNH PHAM ’21 STUDY TOGETHER APART IN THE DEW DROP LOUNGE.

By Rebecca Studios, Rebecca Slater' 10

“I would be lying if I said it has been easy,” says Pham. “My internship was canceled because of the pandemic, but now I’m emulating that hands-on experience through virtual clinical simulations and using equipment provided by the University. Even though I’m scared about getting a job and jumping right into my nursing career, I know that there are always supportive professors and classmates that I can talk with.”

I’ve also gotten used to collaborating and conducting my psychology research online, but Jasmine McLaurin ’22, a biology and pre-medicine major, needs her lab work completed in person with that beaker and Bunsen burner on hand.

“My labs typically are multiple hours long and tough to do with a mask on, but I am grateful that I can still do them safely,” says McLaurin. “I perform schoolwork better when I have someone to bounce ideas off, so not being able to work closely with others is a struggle.”

I never pictured my senior year of college feeling as new as it has felt, but there are more firsts yet to come. I’m eager for post-graduate life, when I’ll have my first chance at starting a career. I also have learned key lessons that cannot be taught by textbooks: There is a world of opportunities even in the ruggedness of uncertainty, and grasping the present moment for all that it is has allowed me to connect with others in a way I never would have before. I’ve gone through this shared experience and witnessed resilience in my friends, family, and professors. The best we can do is be there for one another and find comfort in the continuing change.