This March marks the one year anniversary of the serious arrival of COVID-19. I asked students about what they’ve learned outside the classroom during a time never seen before.

“What have you learned about yourself since the start of the pandemic?”

Name: Brooke Hass

Hometown: Pearl City, Ill.

Major: Strategic Communication/Public Relations

“I’m a lot more adaptable to change than I thought. Through things like synchronous learning and other things, I’ve realized I can learn just as effectively as I can in person.”

Name: Cam Daugherty-Giampaolo

Hometown: New Lenox, Ill.

Major: Digital Media Production

“I’ve learned to be more self-sufficient. I was able to work on the things I’m not good at, such as time management and organizational skills. I think this makes for a more efficient school year for me.”

Name: Andrew Powell

Hometown: Abingdon, Ill.

Major: Biology

“One of the coolest things I’ve seen is the resiliency of the human spirit. Having such a terrible thing happen but not letting it stop people is really inspiring.”

Name: Andrew Held

Hometown: Westmont, Ill.

Major: Psychology/English

“Even under a global pandemic, I’ve learned that there should be a united front to get things done. A direct response, I think, would solve a lot more things quickly.”

Name: Nic Schons

Hometown: LeClaire, Iowa

Major: Computer Science

“It’s been very political. I’ve sadly realized that people will believe anything that’s put in front of them. It’s a shame to see that people don’t learn for themselves.”

Name: Matt Zuccato

Hometown: Frankfurt, Ill.

Major: Accounting/Sports Management

“People don’t like others telling them what to do. I’ve realized that the sooner we do the necessary precautions, the sooner we can get over this.”

Name: Charles Hart

Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Major: TV & Radio/Marketing

“I’ve learned a lot of people weren’t grateful for the things they had. We have the opportunity to try new things and gain new insights, which should help us as we look at our own lives.”

Name: Matt Jung

Hometown: Tinley Park, Ill.

Major: Human Performance & Fitness

“It’s taught us a lot about being a good neighbor. Even if you can’t be near each other, it’s important to be selfless in a time when selfishness can be caused by fear.”