A&S I See It

A Student’s Perspective on Life at UW during a Pandemic with Aina Farid

We know that resiliency is a staple of the UW community. Our optimism has carried us through the twists and turns of the 2020-2021 school year. Honoring the perspective of our students, we sat down with Aina Farid, Communications Major, Institutional Marketing intern, and international student, to hear about her experience as a cowpoke adapting to the pandemic.

Q: So Aina, how has this year been for you? A: The year has been a weird one for many of us. In my personal perspective, this year was difficult, but I had a lot of support to get me through many difficult situations. With the pandemic that is currently happening, it has definitely added to the many things I already worry about such as classes, part-time jobs, and my responsibilities at home.

Q: How did this year challenge or meet your expectations? A: At the beginning of the year, I thought that 2020 was going to be similar like my previous years in Laramie. In early January of this year, I was just heading my way to Laramie from vacation in my home country, Malaysia. During this time, the pandemic was really high in South East Asia, which made my travel more alarming than usual. I was fortunate to leave the first wave of the pandemic by returning to Wyoming, but I never expected for the virus to spread all the way to Laramie. Q: Apart from the obvious setbacks of 2020, was anything particularly challenging for you this year? A: I was glad that I got to return in time to resume my fall classes at the University of Wyoming until we received news in regard to F-1 international students in the United States. At this time, I was shocked and was starting to realize that my time in Laramie might come to an end. I was fortunate to have the International Students and Scholars office help by constantly keeping us informed on our immigration status. When the rule was lifted, I got very thankful and immediately created a plan of things I wanted to accomplish and see while I am in the country.

Q: Were there any opportunities that came as a surprise this year? How did the College of Arts and Sciences afford you new opportunities?

A: Because of 2020, I noticed that these challenges are opportunities in disguise. I have done more activities this year than in the past. Although the pandemic has affected many lives, I have the privilege to work multiple part-time jobs at the university, like my internship within the international student’s office, and my institutional communications internship within A&S. They are helping me create many connections in my career. At this point in the year, I can say that the University of Wyoming has created a lot of openings and support for me.