Looking at what is currently going on with our world I would like to take some time to make some predictions. I am interested to look back on this in some years and see what I got correct and what I didn’t. As of today April 9, 2020, here are my predictions for the future:
Umass Dartmouth will return to school in the fall of 2020. This is less of a prediction and more of a hopeful wish. So far trying to learn off a laptop screen while stuck at home all day isn’t working that well. I feel far less invested in class, I enjoy learning from talking over ideas with other people I have found when I don’t have that option I don’t learn as much.
This won’t be the last quarantine of the next 10 years. I will predict that coronavirus or another similar situation will force us to return to our homes for an extended time inside. I think this is going to be coupled with more people working/schooling from home. In this first instance of us being cooped up at home from extended time, people are having a difficult time making the transition. By the second time, this happens people are going to be better adjusted with more support systems in place. This will happen on a personal level as people are more prepared. As well as on a larger scale as businesses, schools, and governments will be better prepared.
Coronavirus is going to be looked back on as the start of a new era. The same way 9/11 changed the way Americans perceived the world coronavirus will, unfortunately, do the same thing. This is what I am most nervous about. It would be a shame to lose the way of life that we have had up until this point. The interconnectedness of the globe has been a great advantage of living in this modern age. My study abroad is a great example of this. While my program got canceled I hope that study abroad programs still happen for college students all over the world.
Many of the failing systems in our society are put under a spotlight by the coronavirus, these will get overhauled. A more uplifting prediction I think that this tragedy will put a lot of the current problems going on in stark contrast leading to positive change. Any changes that were going to be coming are now going to come at a faster pace as coronavirus is going to speed up our already increasing pace of life.
Left to right: JB, Ben, Me (these were the two people I spent the most time with, in Amsterdam)