KSU Freshman Jamel Gude Continues Studies At Home
Ask and ye shall receive! The News put out the call for local college students that might be lurking about with campuses closed for the remainder of the school year due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Our call was first answered by Jamel Gude, a 2019 Jasper County High School graduate now attending Kennesaw State University.
I asked Jamel to share his recent experience of university distance learning which included leaving his dormitory and new found college friends behind. He shared some details cheerfully though with a bit of a heavy heart in these uncertain times. His account spurred a few questions which I share in a Question & Answer format following his personal account that reads:
“This experience has been an overwhelming one. Everything seemed to happen so quick. I was just in my dorm room several weeks ago studying and preparing for an upcoming exam for one of my classes. Fast forward to now and I’m taking that class online, along with others for the rest of the semester.
“I would say that the hardest transition for me was the move out process. Thursday, March 12th, was the day that everything changed. That day I had planned to make my regular hometown visit. I had just got done taking my psychology and statistics classes that afternoon, and I was on my way home. Earlier that week, there was talk of a school closure due to Covid-19, but I assumed it to be a hysterical rumor around campus. I arrived home later that evening. My expectation was to return to my dorm room that following Sunday.
“Instead, later that evening I received confirmation from my university telling us that we were going to be out for the next two weeks to combat the exposure of the virus. The next day, I had to travel back to campus and pack two weeks worth of clothes.
“The following week I was at home and getting adjusted to my new online format. At this point, I believed that this was all temporary and that within the next few weeks everything would be back to normal. Then, another shocker hit me. It was when I found out that colleges in Georgia, including Kennesaw State University, were being shut down for the rest of the semester and we would fully transition to remote learning.
“So on Tuesday, March 24th, I was required to pack the rest of my things and leave the dorm that I had gotten so used to. That rainy day was the dullest I had experienced in a while. The saddest part was that I wasn’t even able to say bye to my roommates because social distancing guidelines required us to have different move out days.
“Online classes are not the preferred method of learning for me and many others. However, I’m not completely upset about the transition. On the brighter side, it does offer the flexibility to students with responsibilities in other aspects of life. I would be naive, though, to ignore the fact that many students out there do not have internet at home. I understand the great stress that can come from that.
“My advice to those students is to utilize free wifi found at local businesses and libraries. At this time, it’s very likely that a lot of those businesses are closed or are not offering inside seating. So park in the parking lot and connect. Work in the comfort of your own car. Do what you can with what you have!
“I’m currently taking it day by day, staying up to date on my online assignments until the end of this semester. I’m also practicing some social distancing and good sanitary habits. Hopefully by August, we’ll all be back on campus and in school and things will be back to normal. I am grateful for this time though because I get to interact with my family and friends more than I did when I was away. That, I believe, is the best thing to come out of all this.”
Christon “Jamel” Gude
Freshman at Kennesaw State University
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Q & A With Jamel Gude
Q. Jamel what a way to close out your freshman year of college, huh? Let me begin by congratulating you on being named to the President’s List at KSU during you first semester. That can be a big order for a freshman, disciplined or not, in a brand new learning environment. You mentioned the shock of the situation and how it unfolded over a span of two weeks and how the saddest part was not being able to say farewell to your roommates. What made that the saddest moment for you?
A. This was the saddest aspect because of the sudden halt of communication between each of us. We all became used to seeing and interacting with each other everyday, and we grew closer, becoming friends as time went by. We all knew that once the semester was over, we were going to being moving out and going our separate ways anyway (non-freshmen are required to relocate to upperclassmen housing). However, none of us knew it would be so soon. We probably won’t ever get to share anymore of the experiences we once did. Now, we’ll just have to see each other around campus by chance.
Q. Are you completing your remote studies at home in Monticello or splitting time elsewhere?
A. I am currently completing my studies online from the comfort of my home here in Monticello. One of my classes implemented a live virtual class session every Monday and Wednesday, which I think is really cool. Each of my professors are working with their students in an understanding manner, so the online instruction isn’t anymore stressful than in class.
Q. You noted that this remote learning period has given you more time to interact with your family and friends, for which you are grateful, but aren’t you finding that a double edged sword with the need for social distancing. I have been visiting with my elderly mother over the past three weeks through a glass door in order that we, but more importantly she, remains as healthy as possible. I have no doubt that remote learning is going well but how is social distancing going?
A. I would be lying if I said that social distancing has been fun. I’m an outgoing person, so it’s somewhat frustrating not being able to go everywhere I used to go and do everything I used to do. However, I recognize the importance of social distancing in combating the virus. I still see my friends and family members from time to time, normally on either a trip to the grocery store, a passing by of each other on the road, or a planned visit. So things aren’t completely bad. I still get to see loved ones. It’s just the circumstances that surround everything makes it more of a hassle.
Q. I love that you are encouraging fellow college mates to push through these times and sharing outlets for needed resources that may not be readily available to them now that campus resources are null. What effect, if any, do you think this remote learning experience while social distancing will have on the campus environment when students return to college in the Fall?
A. When returning to campus this fall, I believe the biggest effect seen by my college peers will be a greater admiration for the “in-class” setting. Online work can be stressful, even for those with all the necessary tools and set ups. The reason why is because of the delay of communication between you and the professors and you and your classmates. Being in-class gives students an opportunity to have their questions answered quickly, have their lack of understanding fixed, and be able to have all the necessary resources in front of them.
With online material, one is likely to wait 24 to 48 hours just for a response back from their professor. And for those who aren’t in group chats with their classmates, it can feel like you’re stranded on a island for certain assignments. So being that universities and schools across the nation will eventually open back up, I feel that there will be less cases of students not caring to go to class.
Q. You were a high school senior at this time last year, one who got to enjoy all the spoils of completing 12 years of grade school—prom, Senior Day, graduation, parties, etc. Seniors all over the nation this year won’t have that, what consolation would you give those students?
A. I couldn’t imagine the disappointment that a lot of seniors across the nation are feeling right now. For those seniors out there who won’t get the opportunity to go to your senior prom, participate in senior activities, and even walk across the stage, I say to all of them to keep their heads up. It’s not the end of the road. We don’t know exactly when, but this current way of living won’t last forever. Stay in contact with as many senior peers as you can. Once everything is back to normal, spend time planning out one big event to see all of these individuals again, whether it be a sooner than normal class reunion, your very own prom, or simply a big gathering celebrating the Class of 2020 graduates. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
There are great things to come in life for a lot of you. You won’t be down for long. Life is a series of experiences that only shape you and make you stronger. So congratulations to the Class of 2020, and good luck on your future endeavors!
