How lucky are we to go to a university so loved, that to miss out on even a minute — let alone half a semester — feels something close to heartbreak.
This still feels like a bizarre dream. Just a few weeks ago the Virginia Tech student body was sitting in class, anxious to leave for spring break and take a brief vacation from school — and then, without warning, everything changed. No more going to class. No more sports. None of the events we’ve had on our calendars for months. All of the exciting things we had to look forward to gone in an instant. Every aspect of life as we know it suddenly completely different.
And many of us are upset. We’re in shock. We’re having trouble wrapping our heads around a scenario we never could have seen coming.
No freshman imagined packing their things and moving out of their residence hall in March. No sophomore envisioned leaving for spring break and not returning until their halfway point of college had already passed. No junior planned on their study abroad trip of a lifetime being cut short. And certainly no senior anticipated abruptly losing their final months of college — their last chance to check items off their Hokie Bucket List and soak up every fleeting moment left, from hangouts with friends to their final walk across campus as an undergraduate and even their ultimate celebration at commencement.
It brings to light the unfortunate but inevitable fact of life that despite our best laid plans, there will always be some things that are out of our control. And no matter how difficult it is to grasp, this is our current reality.
It’s hard to picture spring at Virginia Tech without students heading across the Drillfield to classes, surrounded by Eno hammocks strung between trees and frisbees flying and backwards-walking Hokie Ambassadors giving tours to prospective students. Without Relay for Life and the Big Event; without the Day of Remembrance and 3.2 for 32; without sports and Spring Game; without Ring Dance; without concerts; without philanthropic events put on by student organizations and all the things Hokies so look forward to after spring break.
But, looking at the bigger picture, the reason these integral components of Virginia Tech culture are so cherished is not the events themselves, but the people who make them happen.
It’s the people on committees who spend months planning, fundraising and organizing. It’s the athletes and fans who represent our pride for our school. It’s the faculty and staff that champion our academic success. It’s the people who seek out any opportunity to get involved and never think twice before helping someone in need. It’s the people who devote their energy to creating unforgettable experiences for anyone with the honor of calling Virginia Tech home.
And the good news despite all of this change is that even without these events, the people who make up the Virginia Tech community haven’t changed.
It’s no secret that Hokies are known for their resilience; for their ability to overcome adversity by banding together (even from an appropriate social distance) and reminding us all, time and time again, why we are so proud to call ourselves Hokies.
So while many people may view the current situation as a roadblock that exposes our weaknesses, we can choose to view it as an opportunity to build upon our strengths. We are being challenged to find new ways to communicate with one another. We are being challenged to get creative with the way we go about our daily lives. And we are being challenged to learn how to adapt and stay positive regardless of the circumstances — a lesson the whole world can always benefit from. Even though a lot of things are uncertain right now, one thing I can say with near-perfect confidence is that Virginia Tech will rise to the challenges of this new journey and become a stronger and more united force along the way.