How I Turned COVID-Lockdown Into New Opportunities

Haochen (Andy) Long

When the campus shut down in March 2020, the first and most severe impact on our international student community was certainly the relocation and the time-zone differences, which have sabotaged so many of our social lives and learning in months thereafter. On top of that, throughout 2020, international students have also been continuously experiencing enormous stress and fear over the xenophobic public policies and international relations under the concurrent administration. 

However, a time of crisis could also be a time of change and infinite opportunities. Indeed, a lot of aspects of our lives would never be the same as before the outbreak. Nevertheless, that is not necessarily always a bad thing. Even though it is undoubtedly true that this pandemic has brought harm and atrocities to people’s lives, I would like to learn to look at the bright side and the future even when we are in the dark. So let’s give this topic a full analysis and reevaluate the pro and cons of this new style of our education as international students.

 

I consider myself a very social and active student and have many extracurricular affiliations and obligations outside classrooms. Since the beginning of this remote environment, I have been having back-to-back meetings, calls, and classes that I usually would not be able to have in an in-person format. As student officers and presidents for several organizations on campus, I also realized that the online world opens up infinite opportunities for events and connections. My organizations have been allowed to invite outside sources that we wouldn’t be able to months ago because of the physical and locational constraints. I have even found online internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer opportunities that I simply would not be able to participate in if everything were still local and in person. 

Another pro I had since the outbreak was the educational opportunities I have found since everything went remote. I was able to take on a Japanese class online during Fall, which helped me pass my placement exam for Upper-division Japanese courses at UCSB. Not only did this efficient learning opportunity that shortened year-long second language classes at traditional universities into a 3 months session, but it was also significantly cheaper compared to in-person classes and saved me thousands of dollars. Now, during this winter, I have been enrolled in another Business Management course that’s taught online. It is something that I’ve always wanted to take but isn’t really offered at UCSB. These experiences have not only given me credentials crucial to my career path in the future but also allowed me to explore opportunities outside of the classroom!

Overall, I do recognize and have lived through the hardship this pandemic brought us. Nevertheless, I have also learned how important and healthy it is to keep a positive mindset and look for new opportunities and improvements rather than grieving over what has happened and could not be changed. We are indeed at a turning point in history, but also a turning point in our individual lives. I like the old saying: “the only constant changes.” The decisions and paths we take right now might decide our future. I’d like to look at the positives and be ready for those changes.