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Moving can be quite stressful but try moving to a new state to start graduate school during a pandemic. To say that I underestimated how big of a change I was making, would be accurate.
I was born and raised in San Diego, California and have lived there my whole life. San Diego is sunny and warm most days of the year. In fact, spending multiple days at the beach in the middle of December is not unheard-of. Was I ready to leave my beloved flip-flops and shorts weather behind? The answer to that question was decidedly, yes. Enter COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic threw the world into chaos and left me wondering if I made the right choice. The question that played in my mind constantly was, “should I put off graduate school another year until this thing blows over?” Now, as we all know, “this thing” has not blown over and I am so glad I made the move to Seattle to continue my education, despite the ongoing pandemic. I am not going to lie, there was certainly an adjustment period. The gray skies and constant rain, especially during the winter were hard. Couple that with social distancing and the Seattle freeze, I felt like I was in over my head. My advice: reach out to a friend. Tell them about the big changes you’ve made and that some days it’s hard. That’s exactly what I did, and I am so glad that I did. My friend reminded me what I am working towards, and how much I would be missed if I left it all behind. Now, this fall, I will be confidently holding my head high, walking alongside my friends as we start our final year of graduate school at Seattle University.