A whole new ballgame…

It’s been more than two weeks since I last updated this. It feels like a lifetime.

Classes kept on going for a week or so. I found out that my Psychology exam grade was the highest in my lab section. So that was fun.

And in that same lab section, we were informed that we would be running another independent study linking stress (our outcome variable) to a causal variable that we chose weeks ago. I chose observing conflict — did all the research and designed a survey which other students completed. (I talked about it here — and how my data did not correlate at all.) Now, using the same causal construct, we need to perform naturalistic observation to support our theories. Which meant that I needed to find a location where I could watch people see a heated conflict that they weren’t a part of and then record their body language.

As easy as you might think it is to find a nice fight in the middle of a busy place — it really isn’t. I decided to take an afternoon and observe at the Lincoln Memorial. I remember that the Black Hebrew Israelites have made that a congregating place, and last year there was a conflict between them and a Kentucky Catholic school on the afternoon of the “March for Life.” It was a beautiful afternoon spent there, but I couldn’t find anyone in conflict — save a boy named Jared who wanted to slide down the steps but his mom wouldn’t let him.

I had asked my TA if I could stage a conflict somewhere on campus, and she said yes! So I asked people in my class section to see me if they wished to fight.

And I got takers. One person who sat behind me said she was interested. So I explained to her that she and someone else would fake an argument in the middle of a crowded place on campus (Hornbake Plaza) while I observed. When she asked if the argument had to be about anything in particular I got annoyed. “What did I just say?” Then she started talking and I continued with “I’ve explained this once before! Ir you’re not going to listen…”

Everyone in the class was staring at us with eyes wide open. Head and shoulders back. Arms clenched towards them. I suppose that’s what happens when people observe conflict! People were relieved when I debriefed them and said that I was just trying this out. But it got me two other volunteers! That next Tuesday we would meet and put this into motion!

And then there was Tuesday. March 10. An incredibly long day on many accounts.

First of all — it was my first class day after switching the clocks forward. So I had to drive to school in the dark again.

On my way in, my arguing partner texts stating that she’s sick and not coming in that day. Maybe Thursday instead? I get to my 8:00 class, and my other interested parties had to bail. Okay. Maybe we could try for Thursday.

Tuesday continued with Biology. After that I strolled to the front of McKeldin Library where a “Bernie 2020” table usually resides. I thought that could be good for a few conflicts! Alas — they were not there. I had to finish some assignments so I forwent the gym. But I did pick up a copy of the school paper — something I didn’t usually do. More on that in a few…

My Ethical Campaigns class was amazing that day — We spent the entire 90 minutes in the UMD archives in Hornbake Library. It’s weird: When I went to school there in the 1990s, McKeldin Library was being expanded, and it really was just the graduate library. The main library with the 24 hour study room and computer lab was Hornbake. Now that I’m back — McKeldin is the main spot for undergrads and grad students alike, and Hornbake is this obscure building students don’t usually venture into. We did, however, and we had a discussion with the UMD archivist. We looked at artifacts from the University’s history — mine was a file folder detailing the struggle to protect expressions of gay equality in the UMD Code of Conduct — back in 1979-80. The measure didn’t pass at that time, and it became a sticking point between the chancellor and the vice president of student affairs. We toured the vault — which has a few first print editions of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, as well as the original Testudo. I could geek out on this stuff forever.

Lab was at 6:00pm. About halfway through we all received the email — that stated that classes were moving online after our Spring Break. Students would have to move out of their residence halls and not expect to come back until at least the middle of April. My lab group was freaking out a bit because one of them hails from New Jersey and one from Connecticut. They would have to go home. Their Spring Break trips were suddenly canceled. And they would have to take classes at home — the very place they had waited to get away from in order to go to school.

COVID-19 was coming. It hadn’t hit the school yet. But there had been three cases in Maryland. At the time that was a hell of a lot. People started to flee the campus. My Psyc professor canceled class for Thursday and gave us an online assignment instead. My Biology lecture happened as scheduled — at about half capacity. Later that day we’d find out that they would cancel all classes the next day as well.

And now? We’re in Spring Break. It was extended for an additional week where all instructors will be learning how to best move their classes online. Today they were informed that this would be the standard for the rest of the semester. I don’t think many are ready for this.

Thing is? I was debating whether or not to choose this avenue — going back to U of MD at College Park where I would have 15 credits to complete, or finish online at UM-Global Campus, which would require 30 credits. In the Fall I took 6 credits at UMGC, so I got used to an online environment. And I liked it a lot! It provided me a bit more freedom to manage my schedule rather than spend countless hours in transit. I took on a part time job a few weeks back to schedule around the days I have school. But now? That schedule might not even apply anymore!

Point is: I think I’m ready for this. I’m not on campus anymore. I won’t be the old guy sitting in the same room with 20 year-olds. Instead, I’ll be the old guy sitting in front of a computer along with 20 year-olds, and it feels so much better. It puts me at an advantage. It means I no longer have to pipet gel into solution or use the old Mac computers in the lab which I can’t get used to, and for which my younger lab mates have to remind me that the Clover key is not the Ctrl key.

It’s sort of the end of an era — I may have very well finished my last undergraduate on-campus class without being aware that this was it. But that appears to be the mixed up world we’re living in at the moment. We don’t know what tomorrow holds on so many different levels.

I had mentioned that I picked up a copy of UMD’s independent newspaper, The Diamondback. I’m quite familiar with it; I had written several op-eds through my time at UMD, and I even had a bi-weekly column on Fridays my “final” year. I have quite a few print copies downstairs in the basement. Tuesday, March 10, however, was the date of the last print edition of The Diamondback, as they were moving to a fully online operation. Little did they know that “See You Online” would take on a different meaning that day…

This is time-lapse video from my last commute to campus on Thursday, March 12, 2020. I started it in traffic when I was about to cross the 14th Street Bridge. The glowing red sunrise as I’m driving east on I-695 towards the 11th Street Bridge is quite something. Enjoy.