March Madness
What a year this month has been!! There are truly no words for the current state the country, and the shifting world that now greets us all each day. Beginning at the end of February with just one case of COVID-19 in the country, in just a few short weeks, coronavirus has become a pandemic. With that, has come disruptions to just about every facet of what used to be my everyday, normal routine as a graduate student in New Orleans. From school moving exclusively to online courses, "stay-at-home" regulations and the closures of many of the places and businesses that I'd just recently grown to love. It's hard not to feel a sense of loss at a time like this, but there are still many reasons to continue to be grateful and press forward.
For one thing, classes are still going and continuing to push us to learn from the current pandemic. Many of our classes have begun to include the current research and findings, as well as professionals who are addressing the crisis on the "front lines" in understanding the virus and developing a cure. It's an interesting time to be back in school, for sure. One of the things that I've found most interesting is the dichotomy of the COVID commentary I hear/see between friends and family on social media vs. the discussion we've had in class. I've found that my professors and their colleagues have tended to have a more reassured tone when discussing the pandemic, whereas many of my friends and family have fully given in to the panic mode that unusual events like this bring about. While its easy to want to panic in a time like this I've found comfort in discussing the topic in class. Also, given our extensive practice reviewing and presenting research papers, I've also felt more empowered and inclined to do my own research to better understand coronavirus.
With the start of April comes many things: my (stay-at-home) birthday, the end of the program and the start of my journey onward to medical school...among many other things. As far as we now know, the stay-at-home orders will remain through the end of the month, but I expect that things will be extended much further. I'm anxious and full of questions about what happens next. But, for now, I take comfort in knowing that my dog and I are healthy and safe...and life goes on.
For one thing, classes are still going and continuing to push us to learn from the current pandemic. Many of our classes have begun to include the current research and findings, as well as professionals who are addressing the crisis on the "front lines" in understanding the virus and developing a cure. It's an interesting time to be back in school, for sure. One of the things that I've found most interesting is the dichotomy of the COVID commentary I hear/see between friends and family on social media vs. the discussion we've had in class. I've found that my professors and their colleagues have tended to have a more reassured tone when discussing the pandemic, whereas many of my friends and family have fully given in to the panic mode that unusual events like this bring about. While its easy to want to panic in a time like this I've found comfort in discussing the topic in class. Also, given our extensive practice reviewing and presenting research papers, I've also felt more empowered and inclined to do my own research to better understand coronavirus.
With the start of April comes many things: my (stay-at-home) birthday, the end of the program and the start of my journey onward to medical school...among many other things. As far as we now know, the stay-at-home orders will remain through the end of the month, but I expect that things will be extended much further. I'm anxious and full of questions about what happens next. But, for now, I take comfort in knowing that my dog and I are healthy and safe...and life goes on.
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