One afternoon in August, just a few days before the fall semester was set to begin, my roommate let out a long sigh. She was gearing up for her first year of grad school at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs, where all of her classes would be virtual.
“What if I don’t make any friends?” she asked. The question held more weight than typical first-day-of-school nerves. We had barely left our apartment since March, having had the privilege to work from home since the start of the pandemic. She had no idea how socializing with other students would look. Would it be awkward? Would she come across like herself? Would she be able to make a lasting friendship?