Well, if we haven’t all been wormhole’d into some alternate timeline, I have no explanation for what’s happening in our world today. I warned all of my friends to stop posting on why The Year of Our Lord, 2021, would be so much better than 2020. Nevertheless, many of these happenings aren’t the typical student’s biggest concern in the first full week of classes, as we all struggle to meet deadlines that we missed by three hours. I’m Davis White, not just a journalist, but a neighbor, your friend through it all, an ally on the field, praying for change and answering your questions.
#1: “Are we going to get vaccinated this year?”
Firstly, I want to say that I don’t know the future. However, from keeping my ear to the ground, I’ve heard that at least a few students have already been vaccinated. I’m not entirely sure what the parameters are for priority, or who gets what, and when, but I know that they’re planning on rolling the vaccine out to everyone sometime this year.
To get technical, and after a bit of research, the CDC has already begun its limited operation to vaccinate the country. In the first part of “Phase 1A” of their plan, they intend to distribute the vaccine to healthcare personnel and long-term care facilitators and residents. This initial phase of the plan began in early December. More recently, on Dec. 22, the CDC proposed “Phase 1B” which includes frontline essential employees (public servants, educators, food and grocery workers, public transit and postal service employees), and people seventy-five years old or older. Following this will be “Phase 1C” which will focus on vaccinating those from 65 to 70 years old, those from 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, and then those in other essential jobs like media, logistics, public safety and public health.
So, to summarize, the end is hopefully in sight.
#2: “How do I deal with a bad professor?”
Well, this is a tough one, because the deadline to drop a class without a “W” is Jan. 20. If you have time, you could try finding a new professor that teaches the same course, looking them up online to find ratings and switching sections. If the deadline has already passed, this leaves you with only a few options.
I would recommend sticking it out. Go to the Academic Success Center’s website if need be and get a tutor or a coach, but put all of your available firepower toward getting an A in that class (not that you necessarily need to make an A, Bruce Lee is quoted as saying “a goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at”). Bad professors can often make a generally rough classroom experience, but I would say that just hunkering down and getting it done would be the way to go. Talk to your TA if you’ve got one, or message your professor. Tell them that you’re having a rough time. This is often a hail-Mary strategy for lots of students, but building a relationship with your tough professors can make asking for help when you need it much easier and less embarrassing.
#3: “What should I watch on Netflix this weekend?”
A movie that I watched the other night that had me in tears with laughter was Greg Mottola’s “Superbad.” Starring comedy veterans like Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen and Bill Hader, this movie capitalizes on all things high-school and uses gross, dorky stereotypes and snarky dialogue to deliver jokes and stories that are an ideal teenage dream. Finding such a laughable comedy isn’t always as easy as “Superbad” makes it look.
If you’re more into the mini-series, I just finished “The Queen’s Gambit”and was blown away. This story gives its chess players typical panache while delivering a narrative as enticing as a “Rocky” movie. It’s only seven episodes, each running around an hour on average, so go ahead and tell your friend with a birthday party on Saturday that you’re showing COVID symptoms.
That’s all for now, be sure to keep submitting your questions at tinyurl.com/tig2tig.
