I. We made it to the last issue of the semester! What is a message you have for the staff who were faced with the challenges of adjusting to their position at The Mirror while also having to acclimate to remote schooling?

Julia: I am so impressed with how this staff has seamlessly transitioned to working online. Despite the hardships associated with putting out a paper each week, I feel as though everyone did their part in publishing work we were all proud of!

Catherine: This was such a unique experience for a new Mirror staff to have to go through. Completely transitioning a print newspaper into a strictly online platform is no small feat, and I am just so thankful to have such an incredible staff working together to make this transition possible. As much as this was a great learning experience for myself as well as the staff, I really can’t wait to be back in our office for more Mirror Tuesdays next semester! 

Sheila: This has been the most seamless transition I could have hoped for during this wild time! Though I miss being all together, I am incredibly impressed by the entire staff and all of our writers for their hard work! 

Colleen: I am so impressed by the dedication and work ethic of this entire staff, from writers to editors- everyone stepped up during this difficult time to ensure that The Mirror was able to stay alive through the remainder of the semester. I am so happy to be a part of this fantastic team and I have to say this quarantine has made me look forward to Mirror Tuesdays with you all next semester!!

II. Do you think Fairfield will reopen on time next September, or do you believe COVID-19 will get in the way of our fall semester?

Julia: I have a feeling we will be back in the fall but I also had a feeling we’d be back this spring… so I guess time will tell. Fingers crossed!

Catherine: It is so up in the air right now…I would hate to not be able to go back to school and start off my senior year, but I’m very hopeful that we will be back in the fall! If people stay smart, maintain social distancing, follow stay at home orders and keep supporting all of the amazing people out there working hard to beat this virus, then I think we will be able to beat this sooner rather than later. 

Sheila: I really don’t know! I think that there needs to be a guarantee for safety for everyone on campus in order to go back, but who knows what that looks like or when it will be. I just know I will be so happy the day we are back on campus!!

Colleen: I have hope! But, like Lanz said, I also had hope for this semester. I may just camp out and quarantine by Fairfield if we can’t go back… I just miss it so much! No matter what happens, I know that the day we can return to campus, we will all be so happy to be back and much more grateful for everything Fairfield offers!

III. What’s your take on the NFL draft?

Julia: It was interesting to see how some teams rely on draft picks to build their franchise around, like the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow. On the other hand, it’s amazing how players like Tristan Wirfs, who was selected to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, can go from playing on a collegiate level to being teammates with legends like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Drafts in any sport are so exciting, and make or break the fans’ expectations for the coming seasons. 

Catherine: I did not watch any of the draft…I’m so sorry to disappoint the sports section…but I will say that I think it is amazing that the NFL put on such a successful virtual draft! I know this experience was not anything compared to what players dream of when they get drafted, but I did find it really moving that players were able to celebrate in their homes with their families when their dream to play in the NFL was achieved. 

Sheila: As a sports fan, the draft answered all of my prayers for sports content (see Ed Board). As a Dallas Cowboys fan, the draft ended up being three nights of amazingly good luck for my boys. We had the 17th pick in the first round and ended up with arguably the best wide receiver in the draft class, so it is safe to say I am pumped to see them in action, hopefully soon!! 

Colleen: I’m also sorry to say that I did not tune in to watch, which, after reading Shelia’s Ed Board piece, I regret. I did however look at the news and some of the highlights after and have to second the fact that seeing the players celebrate in their homes made me emotional and really reemphasized the emotional power of sports, and, for me, football specifically.

IV. In the next week, the class of 2024 has to commit to college! How do you think things will be different for the incoming class at Fairfield, compared to when you were entering your first-year here?

Julia: Clearly, class sizes are growing rapidly. I feel like as each year passes, the small community that we have here at school is going to become larger. I hope and anticipate that with this growth, comes more school spirit (especially in the stands at sporting events). 

Catherine: Wow, the Class of 2024…that is so weird to think about. I’m hoping that the new students who come to Fairfield will help this university grow in more ways than size. I will second Lanz in saying that I hope the school spirit definitely grows! Also, just a note to the class of 2024….Come write for The Mirror!

Sheila: To the Class of 2024, congrats on picking this amazing place to call home for the next four years! I think that as the school gets bigger, things will only get better for the incoming classes and I can’t wait to see how the campus evolves.

Colleen: I would also love to see an increase in school spirit as the size of our community continues to grow! I’m also thinking that the Class of 2024 may hear even more from upperclassmen about how great Fairfield and it’s community is after we have all had to stay away for awhile.

V. How do you manage your time at home, especially with finals coming up?

Julia: The short answer is: I don’t. I should probably try to figure that out soon.

Catherine: Eat, sleep, work…repeat. Maybe if the nice weather would come soon for more than one day, I could spend more time outside!

Sheila: It has been a struggle, I am not going to lie. There are definitely a lot more distractions here, but we’ll see how my first round of tests go on Thursday!

Colleen: Motivation is a hard thing to have when stuck at home. I think getting outside to re-energize is helpful, as well as trying to keep up some kind of schedule or routine. But, that schedule is hard to commit to, so I have some work to do in these next couple of weeks with time management.

 

About The Author

-- Senior - Communications --

Catherine is from Pelham, New Hampshire. She loves to write, hang out with friends, watch movies, and is a big Boston Bruins fan.

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