Jasmine Jones & Adriana Macias
It’s been a month since UMKC moved all classes online to combat the spread of COVID-19, and since then students have had to adjust to life under quarantine. With no end in sight, students are weighing in on how they are coping with the sudden changes.
Thomas Murphy, a senior majoring in business administration, said he is more of a social person but has been doing more skateboarding to pass the time and get some exercise.
“I can still anti-socially skate the spots in my neighborhood for exercise,” Murphy said. “Honestly I’ve been skating more in the last couple weeks than I have all year.”
Adriana Colina, a junior majoring in communications, is also using exercise as a way to pass the time.
“This is a very hard task for me, because I’m a very active person,” Colina said. “I feel like I’ve been home less often since the stay at home order; I find ways around not staying home. I’ve been skating more than usual; my boyfriend and I will skate in new parts of KC and people watch. I’ve been trying to bike and find new trails to walk on.”
Some students feel the quarantine has given them time to focus on other hobbies.
“The lockdown orders have given me time to work on other activities,” said Jacob Lee, a sophomore political science major. “It’s a pain for sure to be stuck inside, but if it keeps us healthy and safe, I’m down.”
Murphy said he is also taking time to pick up old hobbies.
“Messing about with music has been great to fall back on,” Murphy said. “I’ve lost my ‘I don’t have time’ excuse.”
A common notion between students is that they are feeling closer to their friends and family now more than ever.
“It’s been lovely catching up with friends from out of state and out of country, many of them UMKC alums,” Murphy said. “Hearing their perspectives on how the pandemic is progressing locally has been fascinating. It’s interesting how the lockdown made close friends more distant, and distant friends more close.”
Murphy has been hosting Zoom sessions with other students in what he calls “Friday night e-drinks.”
Colina said Zoom has also helped keep her family connected in these times.
“Most of my immediate family lives in different countries and continents, so I’m already used to the conditions of not seeing them often,” Colina said. “This epidemic has brought us closer. We meet on Zoom twice a week so all of us can talk to each other, and my dad will give us cooking classes and we will all cook together.”
Lee emphasized the need for a positive mindset in these difficult times.
“Staying motivated is key,” Lee said. “Don’t start skipping classes or not paying attention, and make sure you don’t just stay in bed the last semester. We have five weeks left—let’s keep it up Roos.”
