Janice Manzano of Hawaii struggles with the time difference between her home and Penn State.
Janice Manzano
Freshman, Health & Human Development
Honolulu, HI
Posted May 11, 2020
It’s been a month being back home in Hawaii now, and I haven’t been able to go to the beach. It’s crazy to feel stuck in my own house. At least I get to see my boyfriend; that makes me happy.
I am still very worried over school, and I wish I could say that I learned something, but I fear that I haven’t. So I am stressing over everything around me and how fast this virus is spreading, especially being on an island.
But the one good thing that came out of this is my new puppy. We got her a week ago, and she is so adorable. She is a little Chow Chow girl, and she is a feisty little rascal. She loves the attention but sometimes gets tired and then does her own thing. She is potty trained and loves canned pumpkin.
Getting a small pup is so similar to having a baby. The first few nights she wouldn’t sleep, so we would have to comfort her and stay by her cage.
I can’t wait till she gets all of her shots so we can take her for walks and to the beach.
Posted April 23, 2020
Remote learning for me being back home is the best, since I’ve missed my family and boyfriend and friends so much. Now that we are all home, it’s hard to actually connect with them because of the coronavirus spreading as fast as wildfire.
It’s been more than three weeks since we’ve switched to Zoom classes, and it’s been crazy. The first week after spring break I was still actually in Pennsylvania up in Erie with my aunty. I had to go back to my dorm and gather all my clothes and other things in my room.
That Wednesday was the same day they announced that the whole spring semester would be online. So the first week was very hectic, and I didn’t really focus much on what assignments I had due because all I could think about was getting home safe and healthy.
Then the second week that Monday, I had to stay up until 2 a.m. for my chemistry and biology classes, which would’ve been at 8 and 9 a.m. if I was back in Pennsylvania. But due to my 6 hour time difference living here in Hawaii, I had to ensure I didn’t miss anything since lots of quizzes and assignments were due.
Then I realized I won’t get any good sleep if I keep up with this schedule, so I asked those two specific classes if they could accommodate my circumstances and allow me to take the quiz or exam at a different time. They understood, allowing me to access it at 9 a.m. instead of taking it at 2 a.m.
I am super grateful for everyone’s efforts during these scary times. Now I am just trying to fit in any lecture recordings and any assignment when I wake up and get to take a nap when I can.