Graduating UT Seniors Reflect on Past Year of Virtual Learning, Lost Memories, and Future Endeavours.

As UT Seniors prepare to walk the stage this May, some students look back on their last two-and-a-half semesters at the University.

It’s been 383 days since UT’s campus operated under normal conditions. With most classes online, not nearly as many students set foot on campus as they used to. Photo taken by Andy Cerda (2021)

By Andres Cerda

March 30, 2021

AUSTIN — More than a full year has passed since the fateful morning of March 13, 2020, when now-former University of Texas President Gregory Fenves announced that the final class day before Spring Break would be cancelled due to the first positive case of COVID-19 on campus.

“My main concern at this time is the health and well-being of UT students, faculty, staff and community members,” said Fenves in an email released to the UT Community, “We took this action because the first case of COVID-19 (coronavirus) within [the] UT community was confirmed this morning.”

UT had recently announced an extended Spring Break on March 11, but on March 17 announced that all classes were to be moved to online learning for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.

The email sent by UT President Gregory Fenves announcing the movement of Spring classes to online learning. March 17, 2020

“Starting on March 30, the university will be moving all spring semester classes online,” Fenves announced in another email, “We are asking students not to return to campus this semester unless there is a specific need.”

383 days have since passed since the campus last operated under normal conditions. While the university has announced plans to reopen in the Fall to normal capacity, there are graduating seniors who will walk the stage without ever having set foot on campus again.

Martinez Jr., pictured above, hasn’t set foot on campus since the shutdown despite still remaining in Austin (credit: Instagram)

“That entire week was just crazy for me,” Carlos Martinez Jr., a fourth-year Geography student, said. “One moment we have an extra long [Spring Break] and then the next the NBA is shut down and we can’t go back to campus.”

Martinez Jr. originally expected classes to just shut down for a few weeks and then conclude in-person, citing a similar shutdown that occurred at his elementary school during the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” Pandemic.

“I remember during Swine Flu we kind of just shut down for a few weeks and then came back,” said Martinez Jr., “I didn’t think it could be the last time I went to campus.”

For a lot of graduating seniors however, the last year of online learning has seemed to take a toll on their learning capabilities.

“Zoom classes are a lot less engaging,” said Ramon “Ray” Montalvo IV, a fourth-year Finance and History student, “I feel like I’m learning less and less.”

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate classes,” Montalvo adds, “I really enjoy my history classes, but staring at a screen all the time takes its toll y’know?”

Montalvo IV feels COVID has led to him to miss out on some memories he had hoped to make in his final year.

“[I] haven’t been to a bar or club since I turned 21,” said Montalvo IV, “I had hoped to have my first drink here on 6th but instead I had to settle for home.”

Ray, pictured on the right, with his friends at one of the last UT games he went to before the shutdown. (credit: Facebook)

“I couldn’t even enjoy my last season of UT Football,” Montalvo IV continued, “I was hoping to go to a few more games with my folks while I was still a student here, but alas I’ll have to wait until next year.”

Some students however are hoping that graduate school can make up for time lost due to the last two-and-a-half semesters of COVID-19.

O’Neal, who has spent the last four years at UT, will be moving on to Houston following graduation (credit: Instagram)

Brandon O’Neal, a fourth-year Chemistry student, will be entering graduate school this coming Fall at the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, where he hopes to see a return to normalcy.

“I’m actually really looking forward to dental school,” O’Neal said, “as weird as that is to say.”

“I know it’s going to be hard,” O’Neal continues, “but with [COVID-19] hopefully under control I hope things can just get back to normal.”

The university has already announced plans to hold an in-person graduation on May 22. Unlike past years, it will take place at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium and only allow a certain number of guests per graduate. Nonetheless, students seem cautious but excited to attend.

“Of course,” Montalvo IV said when asked if he planned to attend the graduation if it were to be held in-person, “My folks are coming too.”

“I’ll see how many people are vaccinated by that point,” Martinez Jr. said, “I have a big family so I wouldn’t want to put them in danger.”

“But I’d be happy to attend if we can do it safely,” Martinez Jr. added.