When I accepted the offer to UW’s Graduate Program in March of 2020, I was extremely hopeful that I’d step foot into a classroom again. By the time September rolled around, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Quarter after quarter, I’d hope for a chance to be in-person again and be met with disappointment. The COVID-19 outbreak numbers spoke for themselves, and it just wasn’t safe. We completed the year online, and I never met a single classmate or professor in person.
And that was out of my control. If I learned anything this year, it’s how much I can’t control — and how much I can.
There were many moments this year that led to that feeling. From election season, to the riots, to the uncertainty that comes along with graduating in a pandemic… I think it’s fair to say there’s a lot out of our control.
Building relationships and community - with fellow students, professors, and faculty- was significantly harder and felt out of control. We couldn’t go into class, so there was no sitting next to someone and becoming friends by proximity. There was no notion of staying after class to talk to a professor as they’re walking to their next destination. There was no walking to and from class with classmates-who-become-friends, or grabbing lunch to talk about the readings. That was all out of our control.
And while that did greatly shape the 2020-2021 school year, it wasn’t all bad. It taught me to focus on what is in my control. COVID-19 did limit us in some ways…but it expanded our limits, too. Part of focusing on what is in control is shifting that perspective: to not focus on the problem, but on the opportunity.
I wasn’t limited to talking to people I was next to in a physical classroom — I could reach out to anyone in my cohort, thanks to the community UW MSIM built (and also Zoom’s interface). Because of the online system, more people were willing to engage and meet people through new methods.
I wasn’t limited to talking to participate in class. I could still type my thoughts, and honestly, sometimes it was easier to take a moment to reflect and write than scramble to find the right words on the spot.
With remote work, we found creative ways to engage with each other, relate to one another, and share a part of ourselves. My classmates both challenged me and inspired me to take control. Together, we were able to build solid — and hopefully lifetime — friendships.
And for graduation, I wasn’t limited to celebrating with people who could attend in person. Although it is disappointing to graduate, yet again, virtually, I had the amazing privilege of celebrating my graduation at home with people I love. My mom handed me my "diploma" as my name was called through the television screen, a memory I will forever treasure. I had the privilege of attending friends’ and cousins’ graduations that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to make, considering we’re all over the United States. And I am eternally grateful to the technology that made it possible.
Most importantly, I control how I perceive the world — which is equally terrifying and liberating. The silver lining is out there; it’s up to us to see it. And I’ll be the first to admit that’s a naive way of understanding world events. It can undermine the hardships we endure. But it reflects the strength, resilience, and perseverance we hold. It reflects the control we do have to our own lives and happiness.
Not everything is in your control. But not everything is out of it.
Cheers to my cohort: to the friends I’ve made, but never met. Congratulations Class of 2021!