Well this is not the cheery, end of March update we were all hoping for. In the past few weeks lives across the country have been completely uprooted. In the midst of the COVID-19 tragedy Chicago Semester students were sent home to finish up their year online. Originally, nursing students were supposed to stay and continue working in the hospitals, but as the crisis heightened, hospitals decided it was no longer safe and we were sent home as well. Within 24 hours I had my stuff packed in the car and was driving out of the city. By the time you are reading this, online classes will have begun and we will truly be in the final stretch until…. I guess I can’t say graduation anymore… the final stretch until I am done with undergrad and my diploma is sent to me in the mail?
In the midst of this global tragedy it is hard to allow myself space to mourn this tumultuous end to college while people are quite literally dying, losing loved ones, losing jobs and possibly will soon be losing homes. However, I am realizing that us seniors are allowed to give ourselves a moment to grieve. We grieve all the “lasts” we will miss. We grieve being able to say goodbye to the people who have walked alongside us for four years. We grieve the lack of graduation and therefore closure and celebration of the work we have done in college. We grieve this season of life ending. And we grieve entering into the adult workforce in the midst of uncertainty. Two weeks ago I wrote about how I felt like I had every option wide open in front of me as I journeyed towards my vocational calling post-graduation. Now, however, I feel like I can see the narrowing of my choices as I have to think about what makes sense for me and my family given our current global climate.
Overall I am grateful. I have a safe home that welcomed me back with open arms, a fridge full of food, my degree is one that will almost guarantee me a job, but mostly I am grateful for the health and safety of my loved ones. Over the next month I hope to busy myself finishing online school of strong (update to come), read all the books I haven’t had time for, finally watch Game of Thrones on HBO and spend time cuddling my dogs and not-so-little baby sister (picture of me realizing we are finally the same shoe size attached, she was NOT thrilled). I hope this update finds you in good health and safety and that you are finding time to both grieve the things lost and give thanks for your blessings. Wash your hands and stay inside my peeps.
Prayers and Love
Kira Goetz