When I was younger, the concept of university was fed to me through the TV shows and movies I watched as a child. Movies like High School Musical 3, Legally Blonde, Monsters University, and TheSocial Network, all played a role in how I ended up perceiving university as this place where you cut ties, get drunk on the weekend, have sex, and occasionally study to get those straight A’s. Basically, university was the time in a young person’s life where after eighteen years of following the rules of the house, they were set free to do whatever they wished: it was supposed to be liberating. No more strings attached to reel you in when you make a mistake, no more parents telling you that you can’t eat ice cream on the couch or that you can’t stay up all night watching K-dramas or playing video games. It was this sort of freedom and independence that was every child’s dream. Everyone told us, “Wait until you’re eighteen (or older),” as if that’s when the true fun begins. “Then you can let loose,” as if the concept of consequences doesn’t exist anymore. 
So, we all waited patiently until we graduated and entered university life. For me, the first four months of 2019 were a bliss. As a Christian and a commuter, my first year was what others may call ‘restrictive’ and ‘boring’ because I was in and out of campus, never seeing the “nightlife.” But even between classes, I experienced a sense of freedom I never had before. In the city, I was free to hop onto the TTC, explore Toronto, and try different cultural foods. From the bubble tea at Chatime near St. George to different types of ramen at Ramenya and Magic Noodle. I even determined which cafe had the best hot chocolate, the food truck called ‘18-Feet’ that used to be on St. George street, sandwiched between Innis College and Robarts (however due to the pandemic they are no longer on campus. Now my favorite is the volunteer cafe at Victoria College). 

  Then, January 4th rolled around and the news of this mysterious virus started emerging. It wasn’t until March 15th that we experienced our first lockdown. Our view on life drastically changed. Jokes about ‘2020 vision’ started to diminish as we realized that the reality we were so comfortably accustomed to was gone forever. Most of us were forced to return to our families after a few short months of independent bliss only to be stuck there for two years. 
Even now, as campus opens up, first-year students will never know that sense of freedom we had back in 2019. Everywhere we go we are required to show identification to access the building. Every time I sign into U-Check, I’m constantly reminded of the dystopia I now live in, where the overarching body that is U of T controls my very actions. But U of T is only a middleman, so is the Canadian Government. The real boss is COVID. It was as if COVID robbed us of our independence; the life we were supposed to have as young adults.

Yet, despite the restrictions, I have been able to find a sliver of independence while at home with my lovely family. Before COVID, I was used to buying lunch whenever I didn’t have any leftovers or sandwiches to make. As a student with no income, it probably wasn’t very wise to spend my money this way, but it was the case. I didn’t cook simply because I didn’t know how to. I now know how to boil an egg, bake chicken, and make my famous sweet potato casserole. Had I been living on campus in my first year, I would have been making store-bought ramen every night for dinner. 

Stuck at home, with a lot of time on my hands, I actually learned how to cook. I baked, I experimented, and I made dishes for my family once or twice a week. Since school started I haven’t been able to cook much, but at least I know what to do when I have to. I have grown more confident when using the stove. 

Other than food, I have become more confident regarding finding jobs, understanding money and budgeting. I still have a long way to go before I’m fully independent and can make important decisions regarding my career, but COVID, although horrible, allowed me to take a break and learn new skills.