College felt like a fever dream. Not in a nightmarish, disturbing way, but more like a fictitious, brief moment in my life. Due to COVID-19, my fellow first-years and I experienced a mere semester and some change at the University of Richmond. Instead, remote classes have been implemented to fight the spread of the pandemic, leaving us to a new realm of learning. With our dorm rooms left untouched, we have learned to adjust to college without our textbooks, friends, and in some cases, our laptops or other means of accessing the internet. The university has offered a helping hand; after all, this is uncharted waters for us all. However, the appeal of this institution lies in the face-to-face connection we receive, one that cannot be mimicked over a Zoom meeting.

This is just one of the many differences students are facing; I am lucky to say that I am fortunate enough to have reliable internet access, a personal computer, and a schedule that allows me to get my work done. However, this is not the case for every Spider. Being home brings new hardships for many; some may not have the technology to meet the needs of online classes while others may have had to return to a home life that is less than ideal. Some may be spending their time taking care of their siblings. Some may be dealing with less noticeable hardships, as mental illness spikes during quarantine. For many, fulfilling an education at the University of Richmond is being questioned; a $70k annual bill is just not as attractive when your child is receiving the education from your living room. As Bryan Alexander points out in his article, endowments and charitable giving may decrease, two of which are vital to the budget of the University of Richmond. Families will be spending less, due to the current and projected state of the economy (Alexander). Enrollment for the upcoming semesters is expected to drop by fifteen percent (Hartocollis). As we navigate the consequences of the virus, we are faced with a handful of decisions we have never before considered. Things will never be the same and the effects of the pandemic will not simply vanish once quarantine is over. If the university must consider continuing remote learning through the Fall 2020 semester, changes will need to be made. The Writing Center at the university has proven to be a committed resource for the students, but entering a virtual tutoring era has never been attempted. This essay will explore the ways in which the University of Richmond Writing Center will need to have leniency with students to allow for the most effective tutoring and how the classroom can market the Writing Center as an available resource, since students are now in a place where they are not equipped to handle the normal university workload and rigor.

As we have learned though Hjortshoj’s The Transition to College Writing, the adjustment to higher education can be bumpy for some; it relies on an individual’s adaptability to new circumstances. Hjortshoj compares two first year students he taught: Eduardo and Marie. Eduardo experienced ease transitioning into his first year of college, ending with a 4.0 in the class, while Marie struggled to adapt to the college setting. She worked just as hard, if not harder, than Eduardo, spending countless hours studying. What differed from the two was their adaptive nature. Eduardo viewed each new class as a new puzzle that needed to be solved (Hjortshoj 4). By combining an open mind with a love for the material, Eduardo was successfully adaptive.

This same philosophy of learning can be used to ease into remote tutoring. We know that these are trying times. The circumstances for each student may be unique to them, since we are now spread across the world. Due to this, requiring a 72 hour notice for writing assistance from the Writing Center may prove to be detrimental to the use of the center. This requirement is set in place for a reason: tutors, just as much as students, deserve advance notice when asked for their time. However, I can personally attest that motivation for completing school work is at an all time low. When students are left to manage their time however they desire, it is left on the back burner. Without the gentle reminders from in-person class discussions, passion for the curriculum may wane, which proves to be a vital ingredient to creating the best work. Students are prone to creating more of what Eubanks and Shaeffer have identified as “academic bullshit.” The authors touch on “prototypical bullshit” where the self is misrepresented. They provide the example of a corporation using the phrase, “Your call is important to us” (Eubanks & Schaeffer 380). Corporations often use phrases like these to over exaggerate the good faith of the company, constituting an intention that is not pure. As students are less motivated, we will see more “academic bullshit” that is written on an ingenuine sincerity.

Along with continuing to learn inside the – virtual – classroom, we now must learn another life skill, that of independence. It is much easier said than done. Time management, accountability, and drive all contribute to one’s ability to learn in an environment independent of the campus of the university. Leniency from the Writing Center would allow for higher engagement, increasing its efficiency. An international student may have to work earlier than the rest of us, in an attempt to meet the 72 hour rule set in EDT on our side of the globe. No one anticipated time differences, but as the University of Richmond fosters students from all over the world, this should be taken into consideration when setting policies for help. This is why students come from all over: we chose this school because it cares. The Writing Center could strongly encourage one to request appointments in advance, to allow for the best quality of tutoring. This method would still uphold the suggestion of placing appointments in advance, but would not punish students facing the effects of procrastination, that would in normal times be frowned upon. The university never hesitates to remind us they are committed to their students, so naturally in a time like this, a more empathetic approach would facilitate the caring attitude of the school.

As a small school, the university is known for the personalized experience between the students and the educators; the attention professors are able to give to their students is part of the Richmond experience. Aside from the financial aid, this school houses brilliant professors, a variety of resources, such as The Writing Center, and engaging class discussions, all of which contribute to the experience of this school. However, the physical distance between everyone has an effect on this. Professors and students are forced to meet virtually, usually by appointment and without the in-person connection familiar to them. Students are not as accountable to pay attention when the professor is not right in front of them. Reaching out for help may prove to be difficult, as scheduling and technological issues are inevitable. I have experienced this, as one of my professors was unable to assist me in the way I hoped for. I was confused and in need of guidance on an assignment and my questions could have been best answered through a conversation, with the ability to explain in detail. A face-to-face conversation would have enabled the professor to recognize if I was following along and comprehending their response correctly. Instead, we were left with emailing back and forth, prolonging the process of receiving the answers I was looking for and taking away from the elaborate response I could have received through a verbal conversation. The waiting game has unfortunately become a major part of the virtual experience.

The Writing Center may be able to play a larger role as the university goes virtual, since scenarios like the one just outlined are no longer rare. Students will now look to services that they may not have utilized before to guide them through the process of writing. The Center would benefit from getting the word out there that it is a resource available to them. Many students feel like the university has forgotten about them; when it is only possible to reach out virtually, the connection will naturally feel less apparent. Offering an optional video conference would alleviate the disconnection from students to the university. It serves both as a way to communicate efficiently and as a reminder that the university is still here to look after its students. Professors could encourage the utilization of the Writing Center or even require their students to have their drafts looked over, which would be especially useful in writing-intensive classes. This could be a time where the Writing Center experiences higher usage, but the center first needs to be more prominent as a resource available and willing to help. In “Creating a Common Ground with ESL Writers”, Mosher creates an approach, labeled as the WATCH approach, for tutors to use for an efficient conference with non-native English students (5). We spent a chunk of class discussing how to approach works from these students differently, since cultural backgrounds influence writing styles and normally put them at a disadvantage. They require special attention and thought. However, this method can be employed now, as we need to become more sensitive to students that are struggling in ways invisible to us.

Cultural backgrounds can now be interpreted as home life, as stressors at home have now created a new layer of hardship for students that before were not an issue. Getting high quality work done is now a privilege. Topped off with the general anxiety looming over the world currently, the WATCH approach will establish a trust in the tutors that will help the student feel comfortable. The tutor would make small talk to gather a sense of the student’s background. Then, contextual background would be gathered from the assignment, dissecting what it is the professor wants. The student would explain the focus of their paper, which would align their thoughts to the assignment. This way, the tutor can be direct and clear with their insights, taking into account the context they gained and becoming receptive from it. By taking this approach, the tutor will have to engage in a more intimate level with the student, creating a deeper connection and upholding the features of this school. It would establish trust for the student and context for the tutor. An approach like this can prove to be thoughtful as students navigate their new working environments.

The University of Richmond is known for its intimate classrooms, beautiful campus, affordable financial aid, among other great amenities. COVID-19 has rid the university of most of these special perks, so the reasons for attending become smaller and smaller. But, as life throws us new twists and turns, we must learn to handle the ride in the best way possible. We can only hope that everyone in this situation tries their best to empathize with each other; professors with students, students with tutors, parents with faculty, and the like. This is a complex situation, but with a little patience and understanding, the university can foster a community of understanding, even through a computer.

Work Cited

Alexander, Bryan, “COVID-19 versus Higher Ed: The Downhill Slide Becomes an Avalanche.” Bryan Alexander, 31 Mar. 2020,

https://bryanalexander.org/future-of-education/covid-versus-higher-ed-the-downhill-slid-becomes-an-avalanche/

Eubanks, Phillip, and John D. Schaeffer. “A Kind Word for Bullshit: The Problem of Academic Writing.” College Composition and

Communication 59.3 (Feb. 2008): 372-388.

Hartocollis, Anemona. “After Coronavirus, Colleges Worry: Will Students Come Back?” The New York Times, 15 Apr. 2020.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/us/coronavirus-colleges-universities-admissions.html

Hjortshoj, Keith. Transition to College Writing. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009.

Mosher, David, et al. "Creating a Common Ground with ESL Writers." Writing Lab Newsletter 24.7 (March 2000): 1-7.

Yong, Ed. “How the Pandemic Will End.” The Atlantic.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/how-will-coronavirus-end/608719/