The pandemic is not only taking lives, it is taking away college experiences.
On the campus of Olivet Nazarene University, all was well. Students were making plans for graduation, looking to begin careers they’ve been preparing for over the past four years when suddenly, the pandemic engulfed the nation.
Then, students heard that Olivet Nazarene University’s on-ground spring semester classes were suspended, and would be offered online.
I sat down with three Olivet Nazarene University seniors that were experiencing this along with thousands of college seniors across the nation regarding the challenges of wrapping up nursing clinical practice, internships and completing capstone events.
and Adam Raeburn, multimedia communication/film studies
Nursing Students Loses Critical Practical Experience
Danielle Drazen, a nursing major from Bourbonnais, Ill., expects to graduate in May of 2020. Drazen is trying to complete her nursing clinical hours at Riverside Healthcare which is just four miles from the campus of Olivet Nazarene University.
Drazen explained that fortunately she worked her hours on the overnight shift that allowed her to get the experience while still attending class. She was able to accrue enough hours to satisfy the requirement but there are several nursing students that are having difficulty completing these hours due to the closure of the schools that caused them to stay at home after spring break.
Studying became difficult for Drazen because she used to study at school and now is doing it at home. Testing is also difficult due to the strict standards that online nursing exams require. A lack of closure with friends is a disappointment to Drazen because she is unable to maintain relationships the way she was used to through the internet.
Journalism student speaks of her concerns on finishing school as scheduled
Destinee Evans, a multimedia communication major with a concentration in journalism at ONU is trying to rehearse and deliver a senior speech in quarantine. The speech is a capstone event for all communication majors at Olivet and usually delivered in front of people in an auditorium. Now the speech will be delivered online.
Destinee said the biggest issue is the lack of community with her fellow students. Although Destinee is a commuter student and did not live on campus, she spent a good portion of her day using the school’s resources on campus. Destinee also stated that online learning has been a challenge because she was forced to learn a new way of motivating herself to get her work done. Destinee is fearful that her internship in the fall is jeopardized and can delay her graduation date.
Film Student questions his career path; follows advice from his father.
Adam Raeburn, a multimedia communication major with a concentration in film studies, was in Los Angeles at the best semester program (LAFSC) and was forced to evacuate Los Angeles due to the pandemic. Adam had to figure out how to complete his internships with LAFSC from thousands of miles away in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Raeburn said his biggest issue was leaving all the unfinished projects behind, and he began to question if he really wanted to continue being a film student. Raeburn was in a spiral of self-doubt wondering why this was happening and how unfair it was. Then he remembered a quote that his father would tell him about life.
“The one thing I remember ny Dad saying is life is not fair!”
Adam Raeburn
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the students that are home unexpectedly. The students lack a sense of closure. They lack the climactic experience of walking the stage. They worry about incomplete projects, dwell on the “fairness” of this historical event plaguing the world. These students will all come out on the other side better, stronger and more adaptable from their experiences during the pandemic of 2020.
Shelly Bogard furthers this by discussing the impact on college athletics.
