Some community college students have found it difficult transitioning to online school because of the pandemic yet have found it harder transitioning to a completely new school during the pandemic.

In a pool of 11 students surveyed, students reported feeling worried, anxious, stressed, excited and happy. The mix of emotions in students comes from the confusion of the application process.

“With COVID, the new challenge is the limited access to all the resources I need to transfer,” said Gisselle Padilla, a 19-year-old business administration major. “For example, I don’t have full access to the school counselor, college fairs or being able to shadow schools.”

This is a hurdle most students are currently running into, but those who are there to help are very much aware of this issue.

“There is no doubt that COVID-19 has made it challenging to conduct business-as-usual for everybody on a college campus. I think one of the biggest challenges that students are facing, aside from not having immediate access like they once had, is that they are being pushed with so much information,” said San Jose city College counselor William Reyes. “I think we all recognize this challenge and are working to find workable solutions to make the transfer process easier for students.”

The lack of physical resources has left some students confused and overwhelmed, making the application process more intense.

This has created an environment for students to not be as motivated as they were at the start of their academic career. Some of the anxiety students have stems from the possibility of not transferring as they had planned.

“I feel unsafe and unmotivated to transfer because it will all be done from online. The process is now different, and I feel like I worked so hard in my life just to graduate/transfer online,” said Julissa Alcala, a 20-year-old business administration major.

Alcala described the disappointment of transferring at a time when students feel isolated.

“Nobody is immune to having a lack of motivation. The advice that I want to give to students is to remain steadfast and anchored in believing that while we may not like our current circumstances, we should love ourselves during our circumstances,” Reyes said. “This will help us share the love with others. Please remember that it is true that we experience one hardship after another, but it is also true that we receive one blessing after another.”

Another common setback that some students have commented on was the loss of the college experience such as moving out or campus life.

“It’s not the same as if I were to go to the college,” said Carlos Salagado, a 21-year-old interior design major. “I can’t go to class there and get the full experience. I thought that since I’m going to San Francisco State I would get the opportunity to move there and start something new, but unfortunately that’s not the case.”

Other students shared the hope that once the pandemic is over they will be starting something new.

“Yes, students are missing out on the college experience because of campus closure, because of the pandemic,” Reyes said. “However, this experience has taught us to endure, grow, love and make some space for the things that we did not make time for before. This has looked different for people yet students are still finding ways to thrive and flourish amid their circumstances. This should be applauded and celebrated as wins.”