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\nNinth in a series of articles about Hunter students dealing with a moment in history unlike any other at this campus<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Alexis Fowler, 21, said she enrolled in Hunter unsure of what she wanted to study. After taking a few courses, she decided on Urban Studies<\/a> as a major and Africana and Puerto Rican\/Latino Studies<\/a> as a minor.<\/p>\n
Monday, May 3 Pandemic Stats – Click here.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n
Fowler is interested in learning how various infrastructures affect communities of color. “Being aware of what is occurring in our communities and communities across the world and how we can create change for everyone is important to me,\u201d said Fowler.<\/p>\n
She was interviewed several days ago before the recent announcements about New York and New York City planning to reopen as soon as possible. In that interview talking about her life, she said,\u00a0 \u201cI used to spend 12 to 15 hours outside whether it was for work, classes, or my internship.” She now she spends a lot of her time in her bedroom on Zoom for studies and conference calls.<\/p>\n
Alexis Fowler.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cI always liked going out. I got to spend time with friends, go to work; I felt a great deal of independence,” said Fowler, who is now unemployed.<\/p>\n
Ikem Brown, who was interviewed virtually, has worked at a McDonald\u2019s located in Red Hook for over four years. On his break, and in his McDonald\u2019s uniform, Brown said that the most difficult part of working through this pandemic “has been the customers.”<\/p>\n
“They will sometimes question some of our new guidelines, and I just have to explain to them that these are the new policies put in place not only to protect them but to protect the staff as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Because he recently received his driver’s license, he drives to and from work. After COVID forced New York City to shut down, subway travel for him had become “a bit overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fowler, who was interviewed virtually in her room, and who wore a black T-shirt and leggings, made a similar comment. She lives in a primarily residential area in the Bronx, and described her neighborhood as generally quiet, yet, on occasion when she takes the 6 train<\/a>, she has to be cautious.<\/p>\n
Ike Brown.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cAfter months of not taking the 6 train, going back on can feel daunting,\u201d she said. \u201cAs a woman traveling in the city, it can be dangerous; we have to remain on guard and alert to avoid any potential danger, and after being at home for months, I (needed) a readjustment period.\u201d Hunter’s main campus is located at the 68th Street and Lexington Avenue IRT stop.<\/p>\n
Crime on the City Subways<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Brown is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor\u2019s in social work in May. He said that he has more time to prioritize work and classes since the pandemic lay siege to the city. \u201cMy internship with the Grand St. Settlement<\/a>\u00a0 looks different now. Having to ask clients to join us on ZOOM, an online platform they\u2019ve already spent up to six hours due to school and interact with social welfare workers, has proven to be a difficult task,\u201d said Brown.<\/p>\n
Brown described wellness check phone calls and working parents too busy and too tired to take phone calls. Brown, 24, an immigrant from Trinidad who lives in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, decided to go into social work because he wanted to help people connect with their best selves through understanding and empathy. Brown said he led class discussions during our final semester at Hunter’s Silberman School of Social Work<\/a>.<\/p>\n
He said the program was short of what he expected. \u201cIt just doesn\u2019t seem like the best education. This pandemic threw these universities a curve ball,\u201d he said. There are news reports that describe the curve balls.<\/p>\n
The Coronavirus and Higher Education\u2013 Lots of Issues<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
Brown said he is \u201cready to be done\u201d with college and excited to graduate. Some of his future plans include opening a daycare center with trained social workers and child care staff. \u201cWith many working families being severely affected by this pandemic, it\u2019s clear that safe and consistent child care is a need in many communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Alexis Fowler colorfully kicking back.<\/p><\/div>\n
Fowler expressed similar sentiments as Brown did regarding her new higher-education experience: \u201cIt\u2019s more a challenge now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy do you think that is?\u201d This writer inquired.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything is in bed now, I don\u2019t have a desk in more room, and it\u2019s hard to focus out on the living room table because someone may be watching TV or on the phone\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Fowler does not feel particularly motivated. \u201cI feel like it\u2019s because my priorities have shifted now; it\u2019s being motivated easier or maybe didn\u2019t have an impact because there was somewhere has to be, or you had a to-do list to complete,” she said. “Now I find motivation is shifting as well. I\u2019m more interested in what I want to do for me, and I think that\u2019s where fulfillment lies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the pandemic, Fowler has experienced changes. She said she has more confidence and has been treating herself with more self-compassion. Fowler is now more inclined to learn about herself. \u201cThere was no time to think intentionally and breathe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ike Brown is also a freelance model.<\/p><\/div>\n
Fowler is still contemplating her future plans but is exploring her passions. \u201cSince we\u2019ve been in self-isolation, I\u2019ve discovered that I have a creative side and I have an interest in fashion and design,” she said. “Before I rarely thought about what makes me happy, and now I just want to make sure I make more space for that in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown has also he discovered that it\u2019s important to let people tell their own stories. \u201cI found that it\u2019s important to have a strong sense of self; People are always trying to tell me who I am,\u201d he said. Fowler has been trying to stay connected with her extended family as well. However, she said that it\u2019s more of a challenge because she doesn\u2019t want to get COVID again and risk spreading it to her family.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons why I was so frustrated when I got COVID. I didn\u2019t want to give it to my mom, brother, or anyone else,\u201d she said. “But at the same time, keeping in contact with my extended family can be challenging since the majority of my time is spent on calls, sometimes I want some time away from my technology.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown said that since the pandemic, his perspective on some of his relationships has shifted. With his family still mourning the loss of his aunt due to cancer, Brown has utilized his friends\u2019 support and has been able to establish another level of trust. \u201cEven when I visited the hospital due to a panic attack, the people in my life were there for me in ways I didn\u2019t expect,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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Rebecca Simeon<\/strong><\/h3>\n
I recall moments throughout my life when I felt that I wanted to help people, somehow. Social work seemed to connect with me that the most. So, adding a little history, I was searching for more information about Hunter\u2019s bachelor\u2019s of social work program.<\/a> I attended what I thought was a BSW info session. It wasn\u2019t until the middle of the session that I realized I was actually at an MSW info session<\/a>. I questioned leaving for a moment, then decided that would be awkward. So I stayed \u2013 and left\u00a0 with a clear goal and vision for my life for the next four years. That feeling of intuition had rarely made an appearance in my life, so I made sure to follow it.<\/p>\n
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