ALUM AND CURRENT COLUMBIA STUDENT ON HIS NEW NORMAL

April 27, 2020

Even in the Ivy League, adjusting to distance learning is a work in progress.

As college and university students finish up their "virtual" spring semesters, they're also facing much uncertainty with fall enrollment and classes. An article in Crain's Detroit Business this week said that while many college and university administrators in Michigan and across the country have yet to make final decisions with on-campus fall classes, the unpredictability has been tough on students, both incoming and current.

For Luke Adams, who graduated from Notre Dame Prep in 2017 and currently is a junior studying economics at Columbia University, the unknown is disconcerting for him and for many of his classmates. But he feels especially bad for current Notre Dame Prep seniors, who face an uncertain fall at the same time they're dealing with a disrupted final semester of high school.

"It's definitely an unfortunate situation for all the seniors who are going to miss out on those last few months of their high school careers on campus," said Adams, who also plays football at Columbia. "I thoroughly enjoyed those months and cherish those memories; however, I think it's important to realize what really matters in the grand scheme of things. Because of the pandemic and enforced quarantine, we are being forced to pare down to the bare essentials and necessities. And what's truly important is family, health and the well-being of everyone in our communities."

In an interview conducted a few weeks ago, Adams also discussed how he has been handling the transition to online university classes now that he's home in Michigan. He also talked about lessons to be learned as a society due to the pandemic and what his future may be after college.

NOTRE DAME: So how is virtual learning going for you? We've had plenty of feedback from our high school kids, who seem to be handling it well, but we are wondering about how the colleges and universities have been going about it for their students.
 
ADAMS: No need to sugarcoat it, distance learning has been difficult to get adjusted to at the collegiate level – and I’m sure the adjustment at the high school level is no easier. On campus at Columbia, my days were highly structured given my class and football schedule. However, given these unfortunate circumstances, my typical routine obviously has been disrupted. I attend classes via Zoom livestream at their scheduled times, but the lectures are also recorded and uploaded to watch after class ends. This has been incredibly beneficial for the thousands of Columbia students who are now living in vastly different time zones. 

For example, no student in California should have to wake up at 5 a.m. to virtually attend their otherwise 8 a.m. class for the rest of the semester. I'm fortunate enough, though, to be in the same time zone. With this privilege, I have the ability to watch my lectures live and can ask questions. I understand that not all students have this option, and Columbia has been very understanding of this apparent issue. 

NOTRE DAME: What kind of accommodations is Columbia making for students who may not have the necessary tools and facilities for virtual learning? 

ADAMS: Columbia has been understanding of the fact that after being removed from campus, not everyone has access to stable housing, Wi-Fi, and other necessities essential to pursuing a successful online education. To give students some peace of mind in a time of such confusion, Columbia has chosen to make the entire semester pass/fail for all students. All in all, I think Columbia has done a phenomenal job transitioning our academic lives online given the situation. However, transitioning from a very familiar routine to the absence of physical classrooms, friends, teammates, coaches, dining halls and workout facilities has taken some time to get used to.

NOTRE DAME: What does a typical day look like for you as a college student given the current situation?
 
ADAMS: I really think the transition to becoming strictly an online student-athlete requires substantially more planning and discipline than being physically at school. Holding myself accountable when I don't have my teammates or classmates around me has been the most difficult challenge and biggest learning curve in this transition. Every day I attend my online lectures that begin at 10:10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. During those hours, I typically find myself at my desk in my bedroom taking notes and asking questions. After daily classes are over, I head to my basement where my small home gym is located. My make-shift gym allows me to complete my football exercises and conditioning routines to the best of my abilities. Once this wraps up around 5 p.m. and my typical college "duties" are done, I try to help out around the house, socialize with friends via FaceTime, watch football film, or just relax and watch TV with my parents. To say the pandemic has changed my collegiate life would be an understatement. However, my time at both Notre Dame Prep and Columbia has instilled me with enough discipline to be able to find success even in this situation.
 
NOTRE DAME: What are your personal thoughts on the pandemic and its effect on your own family and friends as well as the U.S. and world?
 
ADAMS: While obviously the virus has been a disruptive force in my life and my family's, it has really made me realize how fortunate I truly am. My family has been able to transition to life in quarantine relatively easily via working online and practicing social distancing. However, there are clearly many people who are left out of work and are unable to provide for themselves or their families. Talking with many friends at Columbia who are more drastically affected by the pandemic and frequently reading the news has brought many issues in our country into a clearer view as they have been exacerbated given the current situation. 

NOTRE DAME: Do you think there any lessons to be learned as a society from going through all of this?

ADAMS: While I remain hopeful in our strong country and continue to trust our world leaders to navigate us through these extremely difficult times, I pray they will advocate for those whose vulnerabilities are exposed during this trying time and will make policy decisions moving forward to protect these people. 

NOTRE DAME: Getting back to the positive and talking about a brighter, more hopeful future, do you have any plans yet on career post-college?
 
ADAMS: Currently, my plans are to work for a consultancy firm after college. With my  newfound free time, I have been heavily studying and preparing for the consulting interviews that will occur this upcoming summer and fall. Ideally, I'd like to stay on the East Coast and pursue strategic consulting or move back to Metro Detroit and pursue either industrial or operational consulting.

For more information on enrollment and registration at Notre Dame, please visit the admissions section of our website here.

Comments or questions on this story? mkelly@ndpma.org

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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three school are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.