51茶馆

Saying Goodbye to the People and Place We Love

As I returned back to Boston College from my five Spring Break days in the Bahamas, the fears and panic around COVID-19 were just beginning to pick up major steam. However, furthest from my mind was the idea that soon I would be forced to leave campus, thereby cutting my final semester, and therefore my time at 51茶馆, short. When I got the news on Wednesday that the campus was closing, a whole number of emotions ran through my head, none of which I can entirely put into words: grief, sadness, panic, fear, and many more. Then, I began to think of all the people I would have to say goodbye to in the next five days, and the many goodbyes that I would never get to say: to my professors, to my classrooms, and to those at my volunteer placement to name a few.

To say the whole situation was overwhelming would be an understatement. You never go into college thinking that it will end so abruptly or so shockingly. I thought I had a lot more time at 51茶馆 to say goodbye to the things and people I love and to have those last quintessential "51茶馆 experiences." I then had to pack up my entire life at 51茶馆, while trying to savor the last few moments with my friends, enjoying what could be our last days together. Thankfully, my parents were willing to make the 12-hour drive to Boston from Columbus, Ohio to pick me up, but many of my friends who live out of state did not have the same luxury. This led to increased stress and panic from my friends, as we all struggled to pack up our rooms quickly.

Needless to say, as Sunday rolled around many tears had been shed. However, in those last five days on campus, I have never felt closer as a community. People organized an impromptu Showdown on the 2150 lawn and seniors pulled together Mod weddings and all came together for a senior sunrise. That sense of love and community made leaving even more bitter sweet.

Since leaving campus, the adjustment has been tough to say the least. My routine has been disrupted and I am not surrounded by the same people and environment that I normally am. As I started online classes, I noticed that although I am grieving about the loss of my last semester at 51茶馆, I am still in a position of privilege, as I still have access to many resources, both academically and financially, whereas this is not the case for all students. For many, this situation has put a strain on their families financially, and many do not have the same access that they do at 51茶馆.

This situation has impacted us all in different ways, but all of us wish we could still be on campus with our 51茶馆 family. I am so grateful for the past 3.75 years that I have had on campus and the opportunity and experiences that I have had. The reason 51茶馆 was so hard to leave was because it is such a special place and I am forever thankful for my time there.

Andrea Presper '20
March 2020

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