Since the global COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S. in January 2020, students all over the country were forced off their campuses, as the colleges and universities closed in the hopes of controlling the spread of the virus and reducing infection rates. Since then, many students have not only lost their campus and social life but have also lost their summer internships, leaving a majority of college students feeling defeated by this monstrous virus. As summer internships have been upended by the pandemic, frazzled students have been on the hunt to find the next best thing. But what qualifies as the next best thing? I guess it depends on who you ask. To get answers to this question, I, a Muhlenberg College senior, have created a platform for college students to share their experiences with one another. This platform is unique in that it serves various purposes. It may serve as a safe-haven for students to voice their anger and frustration with how the virus has negatively impacted their college and summer experiences. It may also be a place to guide others who would like to find meaningful ways to contribute to society at this time or even guide those who simply wish to feel less bored while isolated at home. In order to provide guidance, I curated a list of suggestions to help students keep busy. Included are suggestions of movies and shows to binge, DIY crafts, as well as activities and resources that certain organizations have provided to students throughout the pandemic. My suggestions are located on the site’s “Recommendations” page. During the pandemic, I have also interviewed several undergraduates, as well as recently graduated college students who wished to share their COVID experiences in order to assist others in finding their paths during these trying times. The interviewees’ videos may be accessed on this site’s “Interviews” page. I hope that this multi-purpose platform will allow students to connect with one another at a time when an in-person connection may be difficult to form.


