Graduating seniors, left to right from top row, Daryle LaMonica, Jillian Roberts, David Long, Kaitlin Whiteman, David Nguyen, Kanya Derisme, Leslie Marrero and Tiffany Miller For some, the COVID-19鈥, On how they've changed since starting college..., Jillian Roberts:, 鈥淚鈥檓 not the same person I was in any way. I鈥檓 a first-generation American and a first-generation college student. I鈥檓 one of eight kids, and the fifth person to attempt getting a bachelor鈥檚 degree鈥, Kaitlin Whiteman:, 鈥淚 came into college very, very shy and self-conscious. I felt like an impostor as a musician. Over the four years, I don鈥檛 know what happened, but I鈥檓 significantly more confident in myself, and I鈥, Leslie Marrero:, 鈥淎 few years ago, I would have definitely passed on this opportunity to even join this conversation. I鈥檝e become so much more of a people person, which I definitely wasn鈥檛 before, if I鈥檓 being鈥, Daryle LaMonica:, 鈥淚 was a radar technician in the Marine Corps, and I came to college thinking I already knew a lot, having been responsible for a $23 million radar and dozens of Marines. But I learned that I didn鈥檛鈥, Kanya Derisme:, 鈥淚 came in thinking I knew a lot about college and what I wanted to do, but I got here and everything changed. I found myself talking to different majors 鈥 most of my friends are in other colleges鈥, David Long:, 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to meet and network with people from different paths of life 鈥 from different cultures and educational backgrounds from across the country. I鈥檝e taken a lot of lessons from jumping鈥, David Nguyen:, 鈥淚 grew to be more confident at UMass Lowell, knowing what my vision and value is. I know what I want to work for in health care when I鈥檓 a nurse, for my patients and for myself. I want to advocate鈥, On how the pandemic has affected them..., Roberts:, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a collective traumatic experience for everyone. When the campus closed last March, we were actually reading a book called 鈥楶andemic鈥 in my infectious disease class. The last sentence of鈥, LaMonica:, 鈥淏eing a pre-med student, it made it difficult to prepare for the MCAT and apply to medical school. Even though I was always busy as an undergrad, I found myself getting more burnt out with the鈥, Miller: , 鈥淚 definitely also felt the burnout of Zoom. Most of my classes were supposed to be hands-on classes, physically building medical devices. So we had to get really creative on how to do that through鈥, Derisme:, 鈥淚 found myself being disengaged at times. You want to enjoy your senior year and finish off strong. There were moments were I was like, 鈥榃here is May, already?鈥 because this is not the way I want鈥, Whiteman: , 鈥淚鈥檓 a composer, so a lot of the work I do is on my own, and it鈥檚 almost easier to get a lot of it done in one space in my room. The thing that鈥檚 lacking for musicians is the collaboration, so it鈥檚鈥, On how the pandemic has affected their professional goals..., Marrero:, 鈥淭here are so many teachers leaving the profession because of the pandemic, and I don鈥檛 blame them at all. It鈥檚 not easy to get 7-year-olds to stay on a screen for six or seven hours. Surprisingly,鈥, Long:, 鈥淚 thought I knew a lot about my community, but the pandemic has opened my eyes to the limited access to health care and how underserved rural areas like mine truly are. Moving forward, I鈥檓 much鈥, LaMonica:, 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually solidified my desire to become a physician. Fortunately, I was accepted to Quinnipiac University this August as a first-year medical student. The pandemic has only highlighted the鈥, On their favorite memories at UMass Lowell..., Roberts:, 鈥淚 have so many fond memories 鈥 walking over the North Campus bridge, or the view from Allen House on South 鈥 some of those little things make me realize that UMass Lowell has become just like a鈥, Derisme:, 鈥淔or Days of Giving in 2018, the Manning School had this event with popcorn and performances and T-shirts, just for people to understand the importance of supporting students. And another time, my鈥, Miller:, 鈥淒efinitely hockey. I was always down in the front with my friends leading chants. I was also part of the marching band, and through my college I participated in the link this for DifferenceMaker鈥, Whiteman:, 鈥淥ne of my favorite memories was my sophomore year, when (Grammy-winning audio engineer, producer and musician) Alan Parsons came to Durgin Hall to talk to us about recording 鈥楧ark Side of the Moon鈥, On what they'll miss most about UML... , Miller:, 鈥淭he people. I feel like most people are missing that interaction, that school pride of walking down the street and seeing half the people wearing UMass Lowell shirts.鈥 , Derisme:, 鈥淛ust being on North Campus, going to the Pulichino Tong Business Center or Cumnock Hall. Even going to Eggroll Cafe. I spent a lot of time at Eggroll Cafe.鈥, Whiteman: , 鈥淭he community. The passion. Being surrounded by people who are also learning. It鈥檚 just a good environment to be in.鈥, On what advice they'd give to their 18-year-old self..., Miller: , 鈥淚 would pretty much say, 鈥榊ou do you. Stay true to you.鈥 And maybe study a little more. Orgo (organic chemistry) is hard.鈥 Senior biology major Daryle LaMonica was accepted as a first-year medical鈥, Derisme: , 鈥淒on鈥檛 take any moment for granted, even the smallest event or the smallest connection you make. COVID really made me remember how much I missed doing the little things.鈥, Roberts: , 鈥淩elax a little bit. Be OK to make mistakes and enjoy the time. Take the class that may not help you progress toward your degree faster, but that you want to take. I really wish I had taken鈥, Nguyen:, 鈥淓njoy your college experience. Especially in nursing school, take time to take care of yourself. You can鈥檛 help patients if you鈥檙e not helping yourself. Mental health is real, and it鈥檚 part of鈥, On what's next for them..., Miller:, 鈥淩ight now, it鈥檚 a little hard finding jobs because of the pandemic. People aren鈥檛 interviewing, but it鈥檚 starting to open up a lot more. I also was accepted into a graduate certificate program at鈥, Long:, 鈥淚鈥檓 currently applying to medical school. But I鈥檓 going to take a year off and work at the fire department, where I鈥檓 an advanced EMT. I鈥檓 going to pay some bills and take a little mental break for鈥, Nguyen: , 鈥淚 work at Boston Medical Center in the COVID-19 unit, and I also work at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital in the cardiac ICU. My plan is to start off in the critical care nursing field and after one or鈥, Roberts: , 鈥淚鈥檓 in the bachelor鈥檚 to master鈥檚 program at UMass Lowell, and I鈥檝e started taking grad courses. But I did accept a promotion at Lahey in the lab department, so I think I鈥檓 going to do that next鈥, Marrero:, 鈥淚 have two job offers, both in my hometown (Lawrence). I don鈥檛 know where I鈥檓 going yet, but I am excited to give back to my community.鈥, Whiteman:, 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 really apply for a job as a composer, they鈥檙e so few and far between. But I鈥檓 hoping to get some networking done, send my portfolio around, and hopefully get into scoring. My goal is to鈥
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