FUTURE HOPES, FUTURE GOALS

April 13, 2020

Notre Dame Prep alum at GVSU is adjusting to virtual academics, but misses friends and the normalcy of going to classes at university.

Distance learning is a routine that nearly every student who attends elementary school through college is getting used to. But for 2018 NDP grad Mary Yanik, it's a routine she hopes to change as quickly as possible, even though for her it's at times kind of nice and casual.

"I already had one online class before this all happened so it wasn’t a huge deal for me," she said during a recent interview. "It’s actually pretty laid back. But I do have an anatomy and physiology lab this semester and it was hard to adjust to an online lab because we need hands-on activity in order to work and understand the human body. However, my professor is doing a great job making sure we know the material."

She said that only one of her professors had a virtual class time at the same days and time as the original class, while other professors either record the lectures and post it or write a post their expectations. 

"Also, all of my professors are very understanding of the situation and are emailing us regularly to make sure everyone is okay," said the exercise science major.

Yanik can't wait to get back to her normal daily life, but understands why she can't for now.

"What is happening right now is very unfortunate and tragic, especially with the loss of life and to see how far it has gone so quickly," she said. "It also took away a lot of important milestones from people, including for high school seniors, who are missing an important part of their high school experience."

It has been rather difficult as well for her family, she said, in part because they're not used to being cooped up in one place for such a long time. 

"We are very active people who keep very busy," she said. "I also really miss my friends and I would give anything to do normal things again. Things like going to Target, or going to my classes at school, or just simply going to the gym. This pandemic also has taken away my job and the jobs of some of my family members and friends. It's been hard to adjust to that especially. At the same time, I am very grateful for the time I get to spend with my family — we've actually had a lot of family game nights, so we're trying to make the most out of this terrible situation."

A typical school day for Yanik begins with a little more sleep than what she's used to. 

"My day starts with waking up later than usual, which is one advantage of going to school at home. Then I go down to the basement where my school space is set up and log into my Blackboard account to make sure I am up-to-date with all of my homework," she said. "It's getting close to finals time and I have no idea how those are going to go, but until then I want to stay in my normal daily routine, which usually takes no longer than four hours at most. I also like to go for a run either before or after my school work to try to stay active."

Looking toward the future — a future without pandemics and after her undergrad is completed — Yanik has definite goals. 

"I plan on getting my master's in athletic training and graduating in 2023," she said. "I also plan on working as an athletic trainer somewhere on the east side of Michigan, either at a high school or college."

Comments or questions? 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.