Being a (Virtual) W.P. Carey School of Business Student

I am more than half-way through my first semester of college and it has been far from “normal”.

I decided to stay home in New Jersey for my first semester, so I had to step out of my comfort zone to adapt to learning virtually, remembering time zones, and making friends online. Thankfully, I had already had some experience with virtual learning because my high school went online when the pandemic started; however, I was not used to virtual college— I was so worried that I was going to fail my first semester because I thought that professors would be less accessible to me since I was in a different state. Also, I thought that I would not be receiving the same education as I would have in-person. Fortunately, all of my negative thoughts were wrong.

Even though virtual college is challenging, I feel like it is a fundamental type of challenge that allows college students to push themselves because you never know how far you can go and what you can accomplish until you do it. During my first semester, I have learned so many things from communication techniques to Excel skills that I can use in my professional career to stand out, and for that I am proud of myself. I am proud of all students who are going through this virtual transition because it is far from easy.

Even though virtual learning was a challenge, I found that finding friends was even harder. I frequently experienced “FOMO- Fear Of Missing Out” because I saw people building relationships in-person while I was stuck at my childhood home. However, through this semester, I realized that a negative mentality would only hold me back, so I decided to take the initiative to further involve myself in the W.P. Carey community. I joined three clubs (AMA, AdWorks, and WBLA) and I have met some of the most amazing and inspiring people ever! Getting more involved allowed me to feel like I was still a part of the ASU community even if I was all the way in New Jersey.

As a virtual W.P. Carey Student, I have strengthened my skills, professionally, academically, and personally with the opportunities given to me. I have been able to network with several companies, attend many workshops, and learn many things from my professors, so do not fear virtual college; it will only make you a stronger person!