Don’t be afraid of change, embrace it

I still remember how nervous I was about starting college, because it meant moving away from home. The place where I felt safe, where I could always go if I needed to see a familiar face or had a bad day. The thought of leaving Mechanicsburg was nerve-wracking. I’ve always been super close to my family, especially after COVID-19 changed everything and turned our world from being out and about to staying inside together.

In March 2021, my dad and I planned college visits to three schools: Shippensburg University, Kutztown University, and Bloomsburg University. I felt getting a sense of what the campus was like and its community was important to me to make this decision. These were my top schools because they weren’t incredibly far from home. All three were also smaller in size compared to Penn State and Pitt, which felt a little less overwhelming. The class sizes were great, and they all had great accolades to their name.

I was intrigued to see Bloomsburg the most because my aunt was attending the school at the time and my best friend, Miranda, from dance also expressed interest about going there. There were also a number of teachers from my high school who were either Bloomsburg alumni or had positive comments to say about the school. The moment I stepped onto campus, I felt this weird tingle in my stomach. It was a mix of excitement, possibility, and curiosity. After touring the other schools, I didn’t get that same.

About a month later, I realized that tingle was a sign — this was the place where I was meant to explore all those possibilities and opportunities. As scary as it was to make that decision, I just knew that Bloomsburg was where I was meant to be.

I’m not going to pretend freshman year was easy or perfect right off the bat. It was actually pretty rough. I was homesick for weeks and kept asking my mom to pick me up almost every weekend. I had a roommate, but she left most weekends, so I spent a lot of time alone. I tried joining clubs and making friends in my dorm, but nothing really clicked. I wanted to move back home and figure out a different plan for myself.

My parents noticed I was struggling, but they also knew how strong I was. They were understanding of the situation. My dad was a big proponent for me to stay at school and stick it out. I remember him saying “Change is going to happen — whether you're ready for it or not. College will bring lots of new experiences, from meeting different people to learning new things. Don’t be afraid of it.”

Growing up means there are times when you're going to be uncomfortable and scared. Staying at Bloomsburg was something I grew to love. If you don’t have a close relationship with your parents, confide in your friends, professors, counselors, or anyone else you trust. They have your best interest at heart and want to see you succeed. Just know that you are stronger than you think. It takes people a different amount of time to adjust to change. For some people they adjust quickly and for others it could even take years to find your groove and the right path for yourself.

A lot changed for me during my freshman year from the day I moved into my dorm to when I walked out of my last final nine months later. Little did I know at the time, a whole new experience — and a lot more change — was in store for me in my sophomore year.

— Mia Shrawder, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on leadership and public advocacy, is interning with the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Mechanicsburg who likes to run, dance, do pilates, cook and bake healthy recipes, read, watch Gilmore Girls, and watch soccer with her father.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Look at your friends, look how they shine for you

Having a best friend that knows you inside and out is such a wholesome feeling. Someone that relates to you and understands certain aspects of yourself and what you’re thinking by just an expression on your face. Bloomsburg has given me many friends and a place to call home, but one person in particular has been there for me through some of the hardest times of my life. Someone who I can unapologetically be myself around while knowing she’ll be in my life forever.

Morgan was a transfer student from New Jersey. She came to Bloomsburg as a sophomore, so she was starting all over again, which was a feeling I once experienced. She was the first one I met out of our entire friend group, and we instantly clicked as if I knew her my entire life. I soon found out she lived right across the street from me, so I went over to her apartment almost every day. 

Over the next few months, we started bonding over similar interests we shared, music being a big one of them. To this day, we make it a habit to play the music we love together when we go on long car rides, our favorite being “Yellow” by Coldplay. Listening to this song has become something that instantly reminds me of Morgan, a feeling of warmth and comfort in knowing I could always count on her.

Morgan is a big part of shaping me into the person I am today. Before the pandemic first started, I was really going through a tough time in my life, which led to me taking off a semester from school. Throughout that first half of that semester, I watched from home as my friends continued on with their lives, before being sent home right about the time spring break was over. 

This is when everything with COVID-19 hit, and what we thought was going to be an extended spring break, turned out we would be staying home for months. This was one of the biggest changes that could have happened right before our senior year. Now in our final and last spring semester, things are finally starting to feel like they used to.

The pandemic had a huge impact on everyone, not just college students, but all around the world. It’s hard to imagine getting through this big change without the support of my closest friends and family, such as Morgan. Even though at the time I was technically not in school, I was still supporting my friends that found out their school year abruptly ended. 

Since Morgan lived over two hours away from me, we stayed in touch by FaceTiming on the weekends, anticipating the next time we would be able to see each other in person. Morgan and I are roommates now in our final year. I’m so thankful I decided to continue my education back at Bloomsburg, and be able to graduate with someone who is so close to my heart.

— Sarah O'Leary, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of Scranton and is an avid Harry Styles fan.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Embracing moments of fresh air

In my time at Bloomsburg University, I’ve had my fair share of online work. This past year has taken it to an unprecedented level. Our classrooms, internships, and essentially our daily lives have been immersed in our screens due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I used to take for granted all the times we had to submit hard copies of our assignments or drudge to class in the wintertime, but now I’m finding myself buried in online assignments or admittedly, with my nose in my phone.

Screen fatigue is real. Trust me. There’s so much time spent sitting behind a screen — whether on it’s on my laptop, on my phone, or even focused on TV. I’ve made it a mission this semester to free myself from this and combat it head on.

Okay… that sounds great, but what are your secrets?

For starters, I’m not afraid to take breaks. This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of times I’ve gotten down on myself for not being able to power through my days like I used to. We don’t get those momentary breaks walking to our next class or grabbing a quick bite to eat from Husky, but instead sit fixed in front of a laptop for hours on end. No one knows yourself better than yourself. If my brain is telling me we’ve had enough, I’m okay with taking a step back and letting myself breathe for a while. I think this is one of the most important things for my sanity, because otherwise my brain is fried by the end of each day.

During these breaks I really like to catch up on things I genuinely enjoy, like cooking, painting, or even reorganizing my room to keep myself inspired. Having some ‘me time’ never hurt anyone and, honestly, it keeps me from losing sight of myself.

Another thing I’ve been doing is embracing my moments of fresh air. Whether it’s just sliding my window open to feel the cool, wintery breeze or going on a walk in our (numbered) warm weather days, I take in the freeing feeling the crisp air gives me. Being bound up inside in front of a screen can be exhausting, so it’s nice to have an escape from time to time.

Ever since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve noticed how my friends and I tend to do everything cooped up inside. We attend classes online, binge-watch the latest shows, and mindlessly scroll through TikToks — sometimes not even acknowledging each other or the world around us. After a while I just need a break from the screens, and I need to bring myself back to reality. Getting fresh air is one way for me to undoubtedly do just that.

But what about those times I can’t step away from my devices?

I pull out my handy-dandy blue light glasses. Some may say they’re gimmicky, but I think they’ve helped turn my fatigue and exhaustion around. I used to experience headaches after long days of being online that I could hardly see straight. Finally, I invested in a pair of inexpensive blue light glasses in an effort to bring these side effects to a halt, and sure enough — they did. Now anytime I’m feeling strained or ready to sign off, I throw on those glasses and I’m ready to tackle more work.

All of these coping methods make me wonder where our technology is going to take us. Will we ever return to face-to-face interaction? Will we stop our endless consumption of Netflix and Hulu shows? Or put our phones down to give us a break from time to time?

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing to do when it comes to screen fatigue is to simply listen to yourself. The pandemic has changed all of our lives so being able to adapt and make the best of our situation is critical for living in a time of uncertainty. I’ve learned to take on virtual life a day at a time, and I’m determined to make the best of whatever the future has in store.

— Caprice Gillick, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on leadership and public advocacy, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of York County and a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Appreciating the world around me more

When I was young I always wished to be older. I'd daydream about what my life had in store and try to plan out each step along the way. When I came to Bloomsburg University, I thought I had it all figured out. I was going to be involved on campus, live a normal college life, and go onto graduate alongside my BU family — or that’s what I thought.

While I partially checked some things off of my bucket list — that is, joined a sorority, landed an internship and experienced a mostly normal college life — some things got a little scrambled when the pandemic hit last spring, and we were sent packing our bags. Almost a year later we're still navigating unprecedented times. And we seniors, much like the Class of 2020, faced with uncertainty over how our graduation will be celebrated. 

A lot has changed in the past year. It's been extremely challenging to navigate what life as a college student might look like. Snow days are obsolete, and it’s hard to say when we can gather in groups of friends and peers again. I always imagined my senior year would be filled with tons of excitement, and while that’s true, it’s been very different amidst the pandemic. Snow days have turned into lounge-like kickbacks with roommates and charcuterie boards, and most of our social lives are quarantined to a select few.

All of my plans went out the window when life became virtual. For a while, I felt as though I was just treading water — unable to see those important to me and having to adjust to online classrooms. It wasn’t until this semester — my last semester — that I’ve come to the realization life isn’t about planning. It’s about cherishing your moments and being able to adjust in real time. It’s about being challenged and pushing back harder than you were hit.

Virtual life really pushed me to my limits both socially and academically, and frankly, now I feel like I’m better equipped online and am prepared for going out into the world of remote work. On top of that, I feel as though I appreciate the world around me more, and I’ve learned to savor every moment here because we truly never know when our world can be turned upside down. Even just looking around the town itself, I’ve come to have more appreciation to be at the heart of Bloomsburg. I breathe in the moments with friends and loved ones — thankful for each second I have. 

With these lessons in mind, I’ve come ready to start my final semester determined to make the best of what I can. No more wishing my life away — it’s time to live it.

— Caprice Gillick, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on leadership and public advocacy, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of York County and a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife