Just over a year has passed since students across the country were sent home due to the growing threat of the coronavirus. Life as we knew it suddenly came to a halt, and everything was uncertain. Three communications students at Hofstra University reflect on where they were a year ago and how they’ve found their way in this new normal.

Yolany Paz, a senior journalism major, was living “her perfect life” before the pandemic hit. When classes abruptly paused the week of March 8 2020, Paz felt she was oblivious to what was coming. A short visit to her boyfriend’s house in New Jersey for spring break quickly turned into an indefinite stay. “My mom lives all the way in South Carolina and my dad lives in Florida, and that just seemed like such a trek,” Paz said. “It was a lot of shock honestly. I’m used to moving around a lot, but I’ve never been in a situation where I genuinely felt like I didn’t know where I was going to go.”

Adapting to virtual learning on top of grappling with the loss of her life as she knew it, Paz found herself falling into a depression. As someone who likes to have full control over her life, this was an extremely hard adjustment. “When everything happened, I literally fell apart in a way. I couldn’t get myself to do schoolwork,” Paz said. “I couldn’t even believe people were telling me to do work when I was trying to piece my life together and figure out where I was going to live. It all just seemed so trivial.” After struggling through the spring semester, Paz made the difficult decision to take time off in the fall.

“I didn’t think I was ready [to go back to classes]. It was really hard to lose everything I’d worked for,” Paz said. “I knew if I went back my grades would just continue sinking. I knew I needed a change of pace, I needed to find my rhythm again.” Paz then admitted she had been nervous about not graduating with her friends, but she doesn’t regret the decision to take time off.

“I’m getting straight A’s right now. I obviously found my pace and got back to who I was,” Paz said. Taking a semester off not only helped Paz get back into the swing of things, but it allowed her to get a job in her desired career field. Along with finishing out the first half of her senior year, Paz is currently working remotely as a design and communications consultant. Though the last year took a lot out of Paz, things seem to be looking up for her.

Cassidy Slamin, a junior television production major, had lots of exciting things planned this time last year. Slamin’s semester was off to a great start: Besides interning in Manhattan twice a week, she was looking forward to an Elton John concert and a spring break trip to Canada. These plans never came to fruition as the world began to shut down and brace for what was to come. With many things still uncertain about the nature of the coronavirus, Slamin decided it wasn’t wise to go home to her family in Massachusetts.

“My mom has no kidneys, she’s on dialysis. If she got COVID, she probably wouldn’t live. So, I was super nervous to go home,” Slamin said. “My girlfriend’s parents were very kind, and I was able to stay with them in Illinois, and I stayed with them for about three and a half months.”

After spending the rest of the semester and the beginning of summer in Illinois, Slamin eventually returned home to Massachusetts in July. During her brief time at home, Slamin worked overnights in a grocery store to avoid the crowds of people that would be coming in and out during the day. This overnight routine only lasted a month before she returned to Hofstra for the fall semester.

Slamin expressed how the fall 2020 semester was an emotionally challenging one. She had the opportunity to serve as an associate producer for both Hofstra Today and Hofstra Votes LIVE, but these positions presented their own difficulties. “It was really hard to try and figure out logistics for the shows over Zoom,” Slamin said. To add to the stress of producing two major shows on campus and no breaks during the fall semester, Slamin’s dad lost his job. “I didn’t know if I could come back to Hofstra in the spring,” she said. The situation ultimately worked out, and Slamin was able to stay at Hofstra, finishing out her junior year off campus.

Stephan Hatchett, a senior film and TV production major, learned how to slow down thanks to the pandemic. “I was moving really fast [before the pandemic hit]. I was taking 17 credits plus an internship,” Hatchett said. “My Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays consisted of waking up at 2am to get into the city by 4am to work at ‘The Morning Joe’ show.” Hatchett’s packed schedule also consisted of working long hours at the swim center and keeping up with his club involvement.

As the coronavirus spread rapidly across the U.S., Hatchett was finally able to pause, breathe and learn to listen to himself. Hatchett spent the first half of his quarantine at his off-campus house on Long Island, learning the ropes of “Zoom University” with one of his housemates. He later returned to his home in Chicago for the summer. “I did nothing that summer. It was the first summer since I think my sophomore year of high school that I actually had a break,” Hatchett said. “I wasn’t working, and I actually had money in account and I could just comfortably spend it.” Hatchett mentioned that this was partially due to his study abroad trip in Italy being canceled, but it was nice to finally have a relaxing break.

Now, in his final semester at Hofstra, Hatchett is interning with “The Rachel Maddow Show” and is finding structure in his coursework and other activities. Looking back on the past year, Hatchett noted how grateful he was for allowing himself to slow down and be more responsible. “Not letting my ego get in the way of what’s really important helped me a lot, and a year later I’ve stayed healthy and now have the vaccine,” Hatchett said.

The past year has brought about many challenges for people around the globe. Learning to adapt as circumstances change constantly is no easy task, especially for young people preparing to enter the real world. Now as we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the vaccine, Paz, Slamin and Hatchett all expressed their hope for the future. It’s been a difficult year, but it’s exciting to see things starting to look up.