California Baptist University

Students from ABROAD

For students with homes overseas, the decision of whether to stay or leave at the onset of the pandemic came with more permanent implications. Students who went home did so knowing the chances of returning to campus would be slim, and students who were forced to stay in the U.S. knew they would be here for the long haul. Here are their thoughts on the start of school.

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Marharyta Smirnova Junior public relations major “We are getting tested for COVID

quite often, which makes me appreciative that I can be less

worried. The training looks different this season, but this does not stop us. We accept new rules and follow them because a lot depends on it: the state of our health, and (the health of ) our trainers and staff. In this regard, we treat new rules with great responsibility and understanding.”

Buse Topcu Junior nutrition and food science major

When we got the email (that classes would move online), I decided to go home as soon as possible. There is a 10 hour time difference between Turkey and the United States, and that difference hits me really hard. Some days I have to wake up at 1:30 a.m. and do my classes until 5 a.m., then I go to morning practice at 6:15 a.m. I sleep two or three times in a day now. It is really hard to catch up on school work and go to practice with that kind of schedule, but I am determined to do it no matter what.

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