Unfiltered: Spring 2020

In “Unfiltered,” we ask several students from the Class of 2023 five simple questions—over and over, each semester until they graduate. Their second semester, though, is far from a typical glimpse of what it’s like to be in college at Macalester. Most of our group answered our questions just before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated in the United States and Macalester moved to remote learning for the rest of the semester. Some of the students chose to update their responses; others let their responses stand as a moment in time, before everything changed. Here’s what they were thinking about this spring.

Carter Rutherford

What class are you most excited about right now?

I am most excited about Accelerated Intermediate Portuguese with Ernesto Ortiz Diaz. 

What’s one recent triumph (large or small!)?

My application to live in the Chinese House next year was accepted. I will be living in a single!

What have you learned lately?

I learned how to file taxes for the first time.

What do you wish you had known six months ago?

I wish I had known how time consuming literature classes are.

What’s one thing you want to do in the next six months?

I really want to return to St. Paul, hopefully for a part of the summer or at least for next school year. I’m really bummed that I won’t get to be in Minnesota when it gets warmer.

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Hannah Scharrer

What class are you most excited about right now?

International Codes of Conduct! It’s challenging, fast-paced and exciting, and is a great way to wake me up in the morning. 

What’s one recent triumph (large or small!)?

I completed the training to be a classroom volunteer at Ramsey Middle School, which is just down the street from Macalester, and I’m looking forward to getting started.

What have you learned lately?

I learned how to meter poetry in Spanish, which is a lot less self explanatory than you would think!

What do you wish you would’ve known six months ago?

I wish I had known how much I appreciated the sun! I love the winter here (it’s not as cold as I thought it would be!), but I miss being outside all the time.

What’s one thing you want to do in the next six months?

I want to explore the Twin Cities more! I just recently checked out downtown St. Paul a little bit, and I’d like to make my way into Minneapolis more often.

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Ross Relic

What class are you most excited about right now?

Music Theory II is my favorite class right now by far!  Every single day in the class is incredibly fun and it always puts me in a better mood than when I walked in, plus the teacher is absolutely amazing!  I just love how fascinating and challenging music can be!

What’s one recent triumph (large or small!)?

I have recently started to lose a lot of weight.  At the time of writing this, I have lost 37 pounds in the past three months!  I’ve still got a ways to go but I’m really happy with how far I’ve come.

What have you learned lately?

That free time isn’t a bad thing.  For my first semester coming to Macalester, I didn’t do much other than classes, choir, and work-study because I didn’t want to overload myself right away.  I wanted to give myself time to adjust.  But since starting the new semester, I’ve realized how important having some free time is for my mental health.  I need time to destress, hang out with my friends, and work on/think about myself.  I’m not lazy just because I’ve finished my homework and I don’t immediately have 10 other things to do!  So, as of right now, my plan for the rest of my time at Macalester is to keep my schedule manageable and keep it at my classes, choir, work-study, and maybe some theatre—but that’s it!

What do you wish you would’ve known six months ago?

I wish I would’ve known how much easier it is to get assignments done as soon as you get them!  I’ve been really proactive with my homework this semester and it’s honestly so much easier than procrastinating, which is pretty funny.

What’s one thing you want to do in the next six months?

Drop at least another 13 pounds and write a song. Okay, I know that’s two things but they’re both just as important to me.

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Sivali Bhandry

What class are you most excited about right now?

We’re doing a pandemic time capsule for “Medical Geography” in collaboration with the College Archives. The pandemic has affected all of our lives in different ways and the project aims to capture our responses, personal experiences, and coping mechanisms at this time of crisis. Working on this project has given me space to address the lingering sense of confusion that these challenging times have brought into our lives. Excitement would be an overstatement but being in this class has definitely helped me make sense out of a lot of things that the world is facing right now.

What’s one recent triumph (large or small!)?

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of doodling. Paying attention to intricate details can be very time-consuming but I enjoy the process because it feels so therapeutic. After a week’s work, I completed a doodle project today. I guess that’s something.

What have you learned lately?

My time in quarantine has made me realize that it’s okay to slow down and take things one at a time. I’ve learned the importance of self-reflection, self-care, and mindfulness. I’ve learned to observe and appreciate the little things in life.

What do you wish you would’ve known six months ago?

That we would be spending half of our Spring 2020 semester like this. I definitely wouldn’t have taken my time on campus for granted. 

What’s one thing you want to do in the next six months?

I want to work on a few self-designed crafty and creative projects. I don’t know what they’ll be, but I’m excited to find out.

Read the first installment Fall 2019