Sean Meagher '20 in Stowe, Vermont

All right so! As we were unceremoniously kicked off campus, I was put in an interesting circumstance as I, like many others whose work was campus-specific, had to think about how I could finish my thesis while away. My project is a stop-motion film and requires a fair amount of college equipment, as well as a dark space big enough to house my set and film. Originally, I was planning on staying at Middlebury for an extra week to finish everything up, but was not approved to do so. So THEN, I was planning on staying off-campus and sneaking into the building where I was working for that week and just hoping no one would catch me. My department head strongly advised against this and, after much inner debate, I eventually relented. My final option was to check out roughly a car's load of equipment and move my set to a friend's house in Stowe, which is where I am now.

For the past week, I have been filming in an upstairs bathroom with all its windows and light sources blocked by layers of black trash bags. I must say it has been a much more pleasant experience than sneaking into a building day after day. However, as I am currently in Vermont and my home is in Miami, I'm struggling with how I will be able to get home after I finish filming and before school starts back up again.

What has been your greatest worry or day-to-day concern as coronavirus has spread? 

I'm not sure how or when I am going to be able to go home, and how I can do so without endangering my family.

What has made you happy over the past few weeks? 

I've found that filming my thesis has been a great way to pass the time, and I have amassed a growing list of mostly Dungeons & Dragons-related podcasts to listen to while I work. It’s also very convenient to have your set in the bathroom, cause that means you never have to leave to pee! Also, cooking is fun. The friend in question just pulled out the absolute dankest of banana breads.

Submitted March 25, 2020.