By Lauren Runkle, Staff Writer
Ever since my freshman year, the fall semester of my junior year only meant one thing: studying abroad.
Part of what piqued my interest in Susquehanna was the Global Opportunities (GO) program. Going abroad for an extended amount of time sounded like a dream to me, especially since I had never been to Europe. Being a publishing & editing major also makes me particularly interested in the United Kingdom since London is the epicenter of the publishing industry.
So when COVID-19 officially hit the U.S. in March, part of me was anxious to see how it would affect not only my trip, but the trips of my friends, some of whom were already abroad. Those that were, got sent home on short notice. Then, the summer GO short programs were sent home.
I waited and waited, trying to hold out for the chance to explore the city of London and drink my weight in tea. I knew the U.K.’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had gotten the virus, so he would have to be strict about letting foreigners into the country. I was correct.
My trip is now planned for the spring semester, which should feel exciting, but makes me anxious again about another cancellation or disappointment. I wanted to see the transition into winter, get my family members presents for Christmas and have the summer to prepare, but now, I have to spend my Christmas anxiously waiting to hear about the trip and pack everything I need.
It is an inconvenience for everyone who had planned for the fall semester, as some could not go in the spring and others (like me) want to spend their entire senior year on Susquehanna’s campus. We feel stuck between not wanting to catch or spread COVID-19 and wanting to have that experience that we had looked forward to since freshman year. Financial hardships, online classes and other effects of the pandemic also make it hard to imagine this experience being the same.
Not only that, but the countries we were all supposed to go to also have places shut down and travel restrictions, so our original flexibility has been taken away. Hopping on a flight to another European country may not even be possible if I am allowed to go. Although being limited to the United Kingdom does not sound like the worst thing in the world, there were a few other countries I had hoped to visit!
In all, I know I am not alone in feeling this way toward my GO trip. This is a part of Susquehanna that students look forward to, and having that stripped away makes us all upset while also realizing the importance of remaining isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The GO program is doing its best to make sure we all still get this opportunity, even if we have to wear a mask while doing it!
