In March 2020, my just-turned-18-year-old was told not to return to her ultra-liberal, elite, east coast university that she had worked her ass off to get into.
She finished the semester online.
In the fall of 2020, she took personal leave after learning the C19 restrictions…
She finished the semester online.
In the fall of 2020, she took personal leave after learning the C19 restrictions…
…which included:
- being socially isolated
- living alone on campus
- masks in and outdoors
- no clubs or in-person events
- online classes
- mandated weekly testing
- take-out meals only, and
- harsh punishment and public shaming—including expulsion—for breaking C19 rules…
- being socially isolated
- living alone on campus
- masks in and outdoors
- no clubs or in-person events
- online classes
- mandated weekly testing
- take-out meals only, and
- harsh punishment and public shaming—including expulsion—for breaking C19 rules…
https://twitter.com/AJKayWriter/status/1306408613619986432
That’s not what college is about.
College is about learning and growing and exploring and becoming more independent and dating and joining clubs and eating shitty cafeteria food *with* friends and all-nighters and moving forward…
College is about learning and growing and exploring and becoming more independent and dating and joining clubs and eating shitty cafeteria food *with* friends and all-nighters and moving forward…
So tried desperately to stay optimistic, hoping the hysteria would fade.
She was so lonely.
Come April, she’d decided on a fall return. Restrictions had eased w/ the vaccine rollout & the elderly faculty were now protected.
And then her school mandated vaccines for students…
She was so lonely.
Come April, she’d decided on a fall return. Restrictions had eased w/ the vaccine rollout & the elderly faculty were now protected.
And then her school mandated vaccines for students…
https://twitter.com/ajkaywriter/status/1388987841535905792
She thought they might rescind with pushback, but they didn’t.
So she called her Dean & walked away from school - and a $75K/yr scholarship and 3.9 GPA.
We got on a plane, retrieved her belongings from storage across from her dorm, & flew home w/ no idea what might come next.
So she called her Dean & walked away from school - and a $75K/yr scholarship and 3.9 GPA.
We got on a plane, retrieved her belongings from storage across from her dorm, & flew home w/ no idea what might come next.
https://twitter.com/ajkaywriter/status/1433939408558821382
She knew she wanted to go back to school so she began seriously looking for schools where life was normal & no one was forced to vaccinate.
It was not an easy search but I was also so glad she didn’t give in.
The mandates weren’t bring back normal life, as promised.
It was not an easy search but I was also so glad she didn’t give in.
The mandates weren’t bring back normal life, as promised.
https://twitter.com/ajkaywriter/status/1439959440644456450
We queried our many friends in academia. I put a call out on Twitter.
We kept hearing one particular school named over & over.
So we looked into it.
It was an unexpected pivot but, the deeper she looked, she more she realized her values aligned with theirs.
So she applied…
We kept hearing one particular school named over & over.
So we looked into it.
It was an unexpected pivot but, the deeper she looked, she more she realized her values aligned with theirs.
So she applied…
https://twitter.com/ajkaywriter/status/1432336401614344198
I was trepidatious.
We are city people. This school was very rural.
I’ve been a registered Dem my entire adult life and this school was decidedly conservative.
Our family is not religious. There’s was strong faith-based component.
And no full ride.
Seemed like a stretch…
We are city people. This school was very rural.
I’ve been a registered Dem my entire adult life and this school was decidedly conservative.
Our family is not religious. There’s was strong faith-based component.
And no full ride.
Seemed like a stretch…
But this past Sat night, in the freezing rain, I got this pic of her as we walked the campus of her new school and just looking at it brings me to tears.
She looks alive again.
She’s been waiting 2yrs for her adult life to begin & it’s finally happening.
She’ll be 20 in Feb…
She looks alive again.
She’s been waiting 2yrs for her adult life to begin & it’s finally happening.
She’ll be 20 in Feb…
As I type this, she’s in a big, beautiful house accepting a sorority bid and celebrating with her soon-to-be sisters.
She had new student orientation earlier today & met transfers who landed there for the same reason she did.
She’s not alone anymore.
School starts Weds…
She had new student orientation earlier today & met transfers who landed there for the same reason she did.
She’s not alone anymore.
School starts Weds…
She didn’t choose it just for the C19 rationality. She learned the hard way the value of liberty & how precious - & fragile - it is.
Sometimes the most painful lessons are also the most salient.
She wants to live her principles & surround herself w/ ppl doing the same…
Sometimes the most painful lessons are also the most salient.
She wants to live her principles & surround herself w/ ppl doing the same…
And because of that cognitive reframe, she’s *finally* getting back to learning, growing, exploring, becoming more independent, dating, joining clubs, pledging, eating shitty cafeteria food *with* friends, pulling all-nighters & moving forward…
And I couldn’t be happier for her.
Which is remarkable.
Because - for the past two years - it would’ve been tough for me to be much more sad.
I’m sharing to give everyone hope. Things can get better. Keep fighting. Don’t give up. Keeping looking. Push back. Be brave…
Which is remarkable.
Because - for the past two years - it would’ve been tough for me to be much more sad.
I’m sharing to give everyone hope. Things can get better. Keep fighting. Don’t give up. Keeping looking. Push back. Be brave…
Most importantly, stay open to learning new things about others and yourself.
The fault lines aren’t drawn the way they want you to believe they are.
You might find yourself at home in the most unexpected place.
The fault lines aren’t drawn the way they want you to believe they are.
You might find yourself at home in the most unexpected place.
ETA: This was not a dig at her new school’s cafeteria. It hadn’t even reopened when I wrote that.
It was a lighthearted joke re: a common college experience.
However, she is looking forward to her first meal there tonight &—all the more—sharing it with her new friends.
❤️😊🥗
It was a lighthearted joke re: a common college experience.
However, she is looking forward to her first meal there tonight &—all the more—sharing it with her new friends.
❤️😊🥗
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