College during Covid-19: Recent TAHS graduate shares his experience

Looking back at the past few months Covid-19 sure has taken its tole on every part of our daily lives. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to the way in which our children and young adults attend school and learn.

2018 Tea Area High School graduate Nick Aeilts is one of those young adults feeling the impact of trying to attend college during a pandemic.

Aeilts said that one of the biggest changes he is facing during this year is that many of his classes have gone from in person classes to hybrid or completely online.

An example of a hybrid class is when a class normally meets three time a week and instead they have class online twice a week and only meet once a week in person. While this might sound like it wouldn’t make much of a difference for many students it really does for Aeilts, as he is taking communication classes and the lack of face to face contact makes these classes more difficult.

Another aspect of college that some of us might forget is turning 21 or legal drinking age. This happened for Aeilts this year as well. The pandemic made going out and celebrating more difficult than in years past. Along with not being able to go out to local bars and restaurants student aren’t able to do as many physical activities either. This included playing with friends at the recreation center.

While Aeilts hasn’t had the virus himself, he has had friends who have tested positive for Covid-19. Aeilts said that didn’t impact him as much because those friends were at different colleges when they did test positive.

Aeilts said “It sounds boring but what I’m most looking forward to is just being able to see people on a regular basis.”

Aeilts in also ready to not have to wear a mask. Especially since if he does forget it he has to go back to his third floor apartment to get it.