By Ellie Wolfe ’19
As the pandemic disrupts college life, recent alums are learning to adjust—or finding educational alternatives
Last August, when I was preparing to start my first year at Bates College, the most stressful things I had to think about were picking my classes and preparing for my orientation camping trip (Camping? Outside? A nightmare.). I could never have imagined that a year later, those graduating in the class of 2020 would have to be contemplating much more difficult decisions, such as whether to take a gap year as a result of a global pandemic.
Meanwhile, many of my classmates, now in college and daunted by the idea of more online classes, also had to decide whether to take time off from school. While I am taking classes in person in Lewiston, Maine, I learned of other college-age Williston alumni who are taking a break to spend this confusing moment doing extraordinarily interesting things, and have found ways to be incredibly creative with their time. After checking in with a number of them, I was left inspired —and especially proud to be a Wildcat. Here’s what I discovered.
1. NINA RENKERT ’20
Instead of heading up to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to start her first year at Skidmore College, Nina Renkert has chosen a decidedly smellier option: working on a goat farm. Despite her initial concerns about taking a gap year, she has thrown herself into making cheese and taking care of all the animals.
Also an artist, Renkert began painting a mural during quarantine that will soon be hung in Williston’s Reed Campus Center. “The Healing Mural” focuses on the restorative power of art and nature.
“My hope is that everybody will see something different every time they pass,” she said, “and will reflect on the power of their own self and voice.”
2. ANYA ROZARIO ’20
Anya Rozario has also opted to take a gap year, rather than start at Pomona College, but is working hard to “learn a lot outside of the classroom,” and has been focusing on helping her family around the house.
She has a long list of books she plans to read (favorites so far: The Color Purple by Alice Walker and My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem), and is taking some courses online.
She has also started tutoring kids in her neighborhood, and has picked up embroidery. “I hope to be rested and refreshed for college in a year,” she says. “Although I wish I could have gone to Pomona this year, I am planning to make the most of my time at home.”
3. TRINITI SLAUGHTER ’18
Triniti Slaughter, currently a junior at Cornell University, is excited to be back and taking classes in Ithaca, N.Y. Even with her challenging workload in the SC Johnson College of Business, she has been able to focus on her own business, Black Invest (@blackinvest_ on Instagram), which she started after the murder of George Floyd.
Black Invest provides Black entrepreneurs and business owners access to the tools they need in order to run successful businesses. “Black Invest pushes for the education and financial freedom of the Black community,” she explains, “with the goal of building the power of the Black dollar.”
4. MOLLY ZAWACKI ’17
Despite her initial disappointment when the University of Pennsylvania announced it was going to be all remote this fall, Molly Zawacki is making the most of her senior year.
She is currently living in an off-campus apartment with friends, which has helped the transition to online classes. “I think just being back near campus helps me focus,” she says. “Being able to socialize and hang out with my housemates is also definitely a positive aspect of being in Philadelphia for the semester.”
As the president of the Women’s Club Ice Hockey team, she, along with her team, have had to be creative in dealing with the shift to remote activities. “We’re not allowed to hold any in-person activities,” she says, “so we are considering some sort of virtual workouts or bonding activities in an attempt to keep the team together and socializing.”
5. SOLOMON NEUHAUS ’19
If you’re in the Plattsburg, N.Y., area and order pizza, there’s a chance Solomon Neuhaus might be knocking on your door.
Rather than return to the Gettysburg College campus for his sophomore fall, Neuhaus has chosen a different path: a gap semester to save up money. Currently, he is working as a pizza delivery driver.
Neuhaus plans to use his earnings this spring when he studies abroad at the University of Wollongong in Australia, a decision he made after seeing how that country handled the coronavirus pandemic. While there, he’ll also be playing semi-pro basketball.
“I’ve always really wanted to study abroad, and just being somewhere new makes me really happy, so I’m really looking forward to being there,” he says.
6. INSOO KANG ’19
Insoo Kang is currently taking in-person classes at Boston University, and slowly adjusting to the process of being a college student in a pandemic. “I tried to look at it as an opportunity where I can use this time to reflect and improve on myself,” he says.
Besides attending his in-person classes, Kang has learned how to cook Korean food and found his ideal home-workout routine. He has also made time to video chat with various Williston classmates, including members of his old advisory.
7. SIMONE BARRETT ’17
Simone Barrett is living in New York City, fostering 10 puppies and their mother while taking online classes at Boston University.
She acknowledges the dogs are “pretty time consuming,” but has been able to successfully balance their care, her classes, and working as a waitress at Bogart House, her parents’ bar. The business was not initially set up to deal with the pandemic, so Simone helped create a rooftop restaurant with music on weekends.
Remote learning has worked well for Barrett so far, with her favorite class focusing on online hate speech. She plans to graduate in December and then possibly move to Vienna, as she has German citizenship. Until then, she—and the dogs—plan to stay in New York City.
Last August, when I was preparing to start my first year at Bates College, the most stressful things I had to think about were picking my classes and preparing for my orientation camping trip (Camping? Outside? A nightmare.). I could never have imagined that a year later, those graduating in the class of 2020 would have to be contemplating much more difficult decisions, such as whether to take a gap year as a result of a global pandemic.
Meanwhile, many of my classmates, now in college and daunted by the idea of more online classes, also had to decide whether to take time off from school. While I am taking classes in person in Lewiston, Maine, I learned of other college-age Williston alumni who are taking a break to spend this confusing moment doing extraordinarily interesting things, and have found ways to be incredibly creative with their time. After checking in with a number of them, I was left inspired —and especially proud to be a Wildcat. Here’s what I discovered.