Gabriella Pasquinelli oral history - January 25, 2023

What is your name? Gabriella. You can call me Bella. Okay.

Nice to meet you, Bella. Nice to meet you. Um. And you said no.

You have no preference about anonymizing your name? No preference. Okay. What is your LMU affiliation?

I'm a student here. I started in 2019, fall of 2019 as freshmen. Okay. Um, so I had about a semester and a half before Covid hit.

Um, and I am walking at commencement in May. I'm taking an extra semester and finishing school in the fall. Okay.

And you are a marketing major? I am a marketing major. Did you come in as a marketing major? I did not.

I came in as a bio chem major. Um, yeah. Go on. I, um, was a bio chem major for two semesters.

Um, and by the time Covid hit, I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. Um, so then I, I was attempting to switch my major, but it took about a year and a half,

which I partly think is COVID's fault. Just because I, I couldn't go in and physically talk to people. Mhm.

It was all through emails and a lot of people were very not like dismissive, but very like, um. I can't help you go talk to this person. And so I was just like, can I just get

somebody that I that actually can help me? And once I finally did get into the business school, which is what I was trying to switch into. Um, the guy told me you should have done this

a year and a half ago, because you can't now. And you could have then. And I was like, well, I tried, and here's the list of people that I talked to that told me

I couldn't. Um, but anywhos, I'm in now and all I'm taking is is an extra semester so. What do you mean?

He said you can't now, and you shut up. What does that mean? Um. I don't remember.

I mean. Oh. This was about a year and a half ago. Yeah. Now, at this point, um, but it was something to do with my GPA.

Um, something with the classes that I had taken, um, over Covid. Um. I at one point.

Well, so I was not doing well in my science classes. Mhm. And so those grades were not. As good as they should have been.

Um, so then I didn't have the GPA to transfer into the business school. Okay. Well, there was one semester where I did have the GPA for it.

Then I started taking more business. I just took, you know, Gen Ed classes. Then I started taking more business focused classes like econ and stats.

Mhm. Um, which didn't actually take my GPA. It made it better. So my whole. Mhm. Retort was, well I'm doing I'm getting

an A in statistics. Mhm. I got over 100% on two of my tests. This is clearly what I'm made for. Forget the F that I got in. Mhm. Bio freshman year

and that grade still won't go away. Mhm. Um, so it's just tanking my GPA. And so at that time when I was trying to

get into the business school, he was like, your GPA is not good enough. And I'm like, but what about the I only took two or um, business classes. Mhm.

So I'm like, what about the two, those two grades that actually mean something. Mhm. For what I'm trying to do. Yeah. So and as and then they were like, okay.

Yeah. He, he was like, this is insane. You've been doing this for a year and a half. Like just because I was at such a loss, I'm

like, I don't know what to do other than Yeah. Drop out. Yeah. Because if I had just come in as a business major, this wouldn't have been an issue. Right.

Or if I had come in as undeclared wouldn't have been an issue. Um, but it was the me not doing well in one area that was keeping me from moving to any

other area, and so which I thought was kind of silly, like. Yeah If I'm not good at science, why are you not letting me get out of science? Yeah My grades are not going to improve if you have

me keep taking science classes. So I took bio over the summer to try and get rid of that F. Mhm. And I got a D instead of an F, which is better, but still not

great. Um, and I took it over the summer, so it was a really short. Mhm. Course, really fast paced. Um, and that is what, like they were counting both

my F and my D on my transcript, which really tanked my GPA. My gosh. After all the hard work that I had done in econ and stats to try and get Yeah get get a better grade.

Um, and so that's what he was saying when he said, you you can't because you have an affinity on your I see. Transcript. And I'm like, and then I start saying, well, if

I take bio like like if I. It replaces the grade, right? Yeah. It doesn't add another grade. Right.

And he was like, oh, that's weird. Let me look into that. Never heard anything back. Okay. Never heard anything back.

So I think I still have two on my transcript. I haven't cared enough to look, I'm going to graduate and that's all that really matters. Okay. But, um.

But then so you were able to make the case. Despite your GPA, you're like, I'm actually doing I have a good GPA in the classes that matter. And then they were like, okay, you're right.

I had like a you need a 3.2 to get into the business school. I had like a 3.12 or something. Yeah. And I was like, I am so close.

I will not like unless I get, I mean, you know, get all A's, which I could have. And if they had let me into the classes that had actually mattered, definitely could have gotten all A's. Mhm.

But, um, once I was telling him, like, if you take one of these grades off, it doesn't even matter to like, I'll keep the F. And I could still. Mhm. Because there would be one less.

Yeah. Bad grade in my GPA. So. Wild. It was a journey. It sounds like it. But I'm here now. But you're

here and you're graduating. And I'm graduating, and I got a great GPA. I've worked my butt off in business, so. That's awesome. Yeah.

Um. You okay. So you said that you just went. You came in to do bio chem, and then that was

a bit of a struggle. Yeah. And then during Covid is when you decided so did Covid. Did the pandemic, and, like, moving to remote learning impact your choice to

switch majors or was that already in the works? It's hard to say. Mhm. Um, again, this was what, four years ago? Um, but.

Yeah, I think three. Three, yeah. Three in March, it'll be three years. Yeah. Oh, God. Um.

Hard to say, but I. I really loved chemistry, I loved it, and the labs I I got, I mean, A's in all my labs. I loved chem, I was doing got A's in those

lectures, but it was just biology that was really. Mhm. Not, uh, meshing well with me. Mhm. And then, um, the next semester, I would have had to take a physics class, which I liked physics, but

I didn't think, uh, college physics would be the same as high school physics. Mhm. And so I was just like, I just, I was in the library until 3:00 in the morning, every morning

for two semesters. Um, I was like, just work, work, work, just doing all these, I mean, labs, lab notes, then rewatching the lectures and doing those homeworks.

And it was just a ton of work. I was taking seven classes. Mhm. Woah. Yeah, a lot of them were like, you know, 1 or 2 unit classes, but still, like, I

mean, the labs were I don't what there was. The labs were five hours long each. Yeah. And then on top of that, I had to go

to an hour and a half lecture. Then I had to take calculus. Then I had to take all the intro to freshman year classes.

Then I had to take my rhetorical arts class. And so it was just like a lot of work. Wow. but I had a lot of time and a lot of work that I

was like I had already burnt myself out. Yeah. So I knew that I. Something needed to change.

[clears throat] Um, the thought of going to business was just. What else would I be? My whole life I've wanted to do work in criminology. Mhm.

And so I was going to be a forensic scientist. Mhm. Um, and I was like, I have no other hobbies in air quotes Mhm. Like.

I, I did, I just didn't know what they were. Um, and my dad is a financial accountant does, you know, taxes, what not. And so I was like, well, that's just the logical

choice is to do what my dad does. Mhm. Um. So I. It's hard to say whether Covid was the initial factor,

but I knew that if I did keep doing science classes, our labs would have been online. And since lab was the only part of science that I liked. Mhm. I was like, I don't really want to

do it online. And I also don't want to spend, you know. 12 hours a day writing a lab report. Yeah. In my house.

Like. Yeah. So. Yeah. That all makes a lot of sense. It's also.

Just to, like, reflect how strange that is. That like you're. These are very practical decisions that you're making, but like totally altered sort of your plan.

Yeah, for sure. In a profound way For sure, for sure. It’s wild. Yeah. Um, okay.

More background. How do you describe yourself? And you can interpret this anyway you like. Oh, man.

I think I. I think I'm a really loyal friend. I think I'm a a strong willed person. I'm really hard on myself.

And so finding attributes that are good has to be like really outstanding. Um. I work hard when I want something.

Um. That's great. No rules. Great.

Perfect. Amazing. Um. Okay.

Describe the day when you realized or heard that LA was going on a lockdown because the Covid 19 pandemic. Um, it was spring break for us. Um, my friend, who is originally from Texas, had come

to stay at my house up in Northern California for the week. Um, a lot of our friends were also from the Bay area, so I took her and she was staying

with me, and we were sitting in my bed, and we had just come back from hanging out with a big group of people, one of whom had just come from Italy.

And we were sitting in my bed and we got the email that school was going to be online for. I think it was the next two weeks or till the end of the month.

Um, so the end of March and we were like, oh, well, better go get our stuff. I mean, my computer was still at school, like all my books, everything were still at school because I was

just going home for the weekend. I didn't need clothes, I didn't need, you know, I didn't need anything. So.

Uh, the two of us and one of my other friends hop into a car, drive down, um, the next day, and we go back to our dorms. We grab all of our stuff, and she was staying

down there because she had family down in more south of LA. Mhm. Of LMU. So she took her car and kept driving while we, me and my other friend drove back up to the

bay. So I get what I thought I needed. To last me two weeks or the end of the month, whatever it was.

And then it was like. A week after that or a couple of days after that. I think that was a Friday, Thursday or Friday.

It was that Tuesday that I heard that my city was going into lockdown. I was at the hair salon with a ton of other people there. Mhm. And everyone's saying like, we are all

getting the notification on our phone and we're all like, we're going in. What does lockdown mean? Like what?

Like it's for two weeks and we're like, okay, what do we do? How do we approach this? Like, again, we're in a big group of people right

now. Like. Should we leave like. And my mom texts me the first thing she says

to me. Dad said to get gas. And I'm like. We're going into lockdown.

What do we need gas for? And she's like, in case we need to evacuate. Evacuate where? We're in lockdown.

Uh, like, I was very confused, and I think my dad was too. Yeah. But I got gas on the way home from the hair salon, and I go home.

And that night, my mom and I went to the store, um, and my, my brother is, he's six four. He is an athlete. He's growing.

He eats a lot. So we went to the store and a normal like day of shopping for us is a full shopping cart. But of course, we looked like those people that were

preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Um, and we're walking up to the register and my mom's like, I swear, this is normal. Like this, I we're really not hoarding.

Um, the only thing I do remember a little bit different. Well, there are a couple of things I remember different about that shopping experience.

There were no paper towels. Like toilet paper. No, like paper supply of anything. Um, which was I mean, we knew that going into

it, but we still thought it was strange. Um, and my mom got a lot more canned goods or, like, frozen foods. So things that would last us a long time because

we didn't know when another shipment would come in or when we'd get to go to the store again. So that was the only real thing I remember being different about

that shopping experience was the type of food that we got. But yeah. And so you're, is your brother younger than you?

He is. He also goes to LMU. Oh he. does?

Yeah. Oh that's wonderful. Yeah. Um, but at the time he was in high school,

then? He was. Yeah, he was a junior. Okay. And so was he also on spring break at the

same time. And if you don't remember, it's fine. I don't remember, but I remember their, their school going on like a two week break Yeah from school.

Like they didn't try to go online. Yeah. At first. Um.

Because I think they were still hoping that they could go back, but I don't remember if he was on spring break at the time. Gotcha.

And then, so you were at home in the Bay area with your brother and your. My parents, my mum. Your mom and your dad.

Okay, okay. Um. So wild. Also, I was going to ask you, um.

Uh oh shoot, I lost it. Something you said really made me laugh about the hoarding and the.

No toilet paper. Uh, it'll come back. Um, okay, so tell me what that first month was like

then. You're locked down with your family. You think it's going to be two weeks. Um, what sorts of precautions? Like, how did your family sort of initially respond?

How did you respond? What precautions did you take? The first month was actually. So I, I always say I had a very, very

good Covid experience. Knock on wood, thank God. Thank whatever you believe in. Like I really did have a good Covid experience.

Um, the first month was scary because we had no idea what was happening. Mhm. Um, but it was fun getting to hang out with my family and my brother.

Um, we played a lot of cards. We watched a lot of, you know, we'd binge watch TV shows. Um, we just hung out a lot. Mhm.

Um, but it was scary. I mean, there was, you know, my dad was like, do I. Go into the office like there were things that he

needed on his desktop. There were things that the people he worked with needed things on their desktop. So one person would go in like at a time,

I mean, once a day or something, and they'd wipe down everything that they touched, everything on in their desk, all the door handles, everything, and they'd wear a mask, get whatever they needed, send it, take it, whatever.

Um, my my mom was like the the person that was like, when we order food, don't touch it. Like, she wore gloves and took everything out of the boxes, opened everything, then took off the gloves, washed her

hands before we touched anything. Um, we were very, very cautious. And now it's like we were overly cautious, but we didn't know that at the time.

Yeah. Um, there was also talk of, like, dogs could get Covid, so we're, like, keeping our dog inside. Mhm. We're like, you can't lick anything.

You can't touch anything. Um. So it was I mean, it was pretty intense for sure.

But I, you know, I was very lucky that we each had a place in the house to work that was like our space, you know. And my brother had a desk in his room.

My mom has an office in my room. We put up a like a folding table. Mhm. And got a chair in there for me to work at, and my dad did the same in a different room.

He put up a folding table and a chair. So we each had our own individual space, which was wonderful. Mhm. Um, but I mean, we.

I would do my homework outside, like in the backyard. Um, and even then, sometimes my mom was like. What like is it in the air? Like how easily can you get this?

So I don't know. It was it was intense but it was fun to be around my family. Yeah.

That's wild. Yeah. Um. Did you?

What about your friends? Or like, family friends? How did you all.

Did you pod up or. Yeah. So we live next to, um, people we've known since I was in eighth grade.

Mhm. Um, and. They. It's four of us and four of them.

And so we not for. Oh, maybe it was a week and a half before we decided to like. Uh, quarantine together.

And it wasn't, like, together. Mhm. Like the kids could come over and hang out and we could go over to their and hang out and stuff like that.

And I think it was about a week and a half, maybe a whole two weeks before that started happening. Um. But just because, you know, none of us were seeing

anybody else. And then it was like, well, if one of the eight of us are going to the store. Mhm. Get groceries for everyone, all, you know, eight of us and.

My grandpa, um, lives alone. And so then he started coming over for dinners, and we would sit on the patio, and he was at one end of the table, and the four of

us were at the other end of the table. Um, and we I don't remember when we made that decision, but that was. Probably three weeks in, but, I mean, he was completely

alone. Like he was miserable. Um, and so, you know. He it completely stopped his daily routine.

So we're like and we wanted him to come and stay with us. Mhm. But he he wouldn't. Um, and so then my brother and I started getting my mom would go get groceries for him, and my

brother and I would take them to his door and, you know, and then run back to the street and be like, hi, you know, away from the street. Um, and my aunt also lives alone, but she lives

about an hour away from us. And so she would come down for these quarantine dinners and we, you know, would have them on either end of the table and then the four of us at

this end of the table. And, um, we just order food and sit and talk. And, um, that was pretty much the only people that we saw for a long time.

Wow. Yeah. Did anyone in your family get sick? Uh, no.

We think. Right. Um, we think that my mom and aunt had. What we think is Covid.

Um, like the first two weeks of February around the Super Bowl. Um. And the only reason we think that is because they

both all of. So there was a Super Bowl party. My dad and my grandpa were at the Super Bowl in Florida. Mhm. So they were not at this party, but

all the women there, my mom, my aunt and a family friend all got sick. All the women, um, and my mom is a mom. When she's sick, she's not really sick.

She gets up, gets us from school, makes us food, whatever. She was in bed for two weeks. I mean, like, well, not in bed for two weeks.

She was in bed for a whole week. And then was, I mean, still sick for an extra week after that. She came down to see me in Los Angeles at the

very tail end of her being sick. Um. But I mean, it was literally just the women at that Super Bowl party that got sick.

Um, none of the men got sick after that. The kids didn't get sick, luckily. Um, again, I was still in Los Angeles. Um, but so we as as we learned more about

it, we assumed that it was Covid. Um. But other than that, no one got sick before vaccines became a thing.

So. That's awesome. Yeah. That's really awesome. Yeah, we got very lucky. Yeah.

Um. Okay. So you're at home. There's this extended spring break, then we go back to.

Okay, we're gonna finish this semester remotely. Um, I think two questions like, what was that? Like? What were your.

This one isn't on the guide, but I'm realizing I should ask, like what? What were your experiences with your professors? Like, how did they respond?

Did they modify their curriculum? And you know, that impression? And then like, do you feel and how do you feel that your lockdown experience and your remote learning experience

may have been impacted by your disability? Um, I don't, to be honest, remember how all of my teachers reacted and responded? Um, one teacher who was I mean, she was just

so cool. She was so nice. Um. Before lockdown.

She was, you know, doing everything that she could. She was asking us, you know, how do you want to handle this? Um, what's best for you?

And so everyone didn't, like, take their own path, but it was just like. There was days where we'd meet in zoom and then there was like asynchronous homework.

So it was like, she'll teach us something. Then we'd do a homework about it. Then we come to class, we talk about the homework, and it's like, if you didn't do it like you

had like two passes or something. Um, she was just very, very understanding. Um. A couple of my other teachers

weren't as like lenient with. If you can't do it, that's fine. But also there she was teaching. Um.

Something like first year seminar or something like that. So she had the freedom to be nice. Um, you know, my other teachers were teaching Stem classes, and so they're like.

You need to learn this because next semester you're going to take O Chem. And that's real hard. So it's like you need to learn this information.

Um, I think there were more lenient on like. How you learn it because, you know, everyone has different learning styles to begin with, and then you throw them in a room by themselves and a computer.

You have to figure out a whole new learning style. I'm a I'm a visual learner and I'm a kinesthetic learner. So listening to somebody talk to me on zoom did

absolutely nothing. Um, my ADHD, I have auditory processing disorder along with it. So like if someone's talking to me, I like I

don't understand what they're saying. I won't process it. So it was really hard for me to, like, really get teachers to be like, I need a PowerPoint.

I need you to I need to see something. I need something I can write on. Um. And so a lot of teachers were good about.

I mean, there was one that was like, you need to take notes. I'm like, I can't take notes. You're just talking like anyways.

Anywho. Um, but there, I mean, I didn't have like a bad reaction to any of my teachers. I mean, they were all trying to figure it out

just as much as we were. Um, my calc teacher started doing it one way and then was like, okay, that's not working. Let's try another thing.

And so I, you know, had to give everybody props for trying their best to figure it out. And some teachers listen to the feedback of the students. Others didn't can't make them.

So, um. But was that the biggest that sort of like. Um, that move to someone on a screen just talking to you, is that, like, the biggest kind of obstacle

initially for you to work around? I would say so. I mean. The whole thing was kind of strange, you know?

And again, we're on spring break. Then we get an extra week before we do remote learning. So my brain was kind of just, oh, this is

great. I'm just sleeping in, watching TV, playing cards with my parents, like. And then once I had to turn my school brain

back on, it was really hard because I'm still in my room. I'm still playing cards with my parents, but now I have to.

Work. Um. And so I do think that, yeah, it was just trying to turn that part of my brain back on

in an environment different than school, because, I mean, my whole life as even from preschool to college, I've been in a classroom. Yeah.

And so I didn't know how to work on a I mean, I can work on a computer. I didn't know how to do class on a computer.

Then work on a computer while being in my bed. Yeah. So. For sure. You're like, this is.

This is for sleeping. Right. Um, okay. How did the pandemic, overall, the pandemic that we are still in, how did it affect or how is it

a continuing to affect your college experience? And so you can think also about like what you expected. Um, yeah.

Or like. I don't know. Do you have any takeaways? I feel like it's a really hard question for me

to answer. It’s okay. It's a big question. Right.

And I feel like there's so many parts to it. Like I, I there's a part of me that really, really enjoys. Zoom class for the aspect that I can lay in

bed, and as soon as class is done, I can close my computer and go back to sleep. Um, there are days where I just am not feeling like getting up, getting ready, going to school.

Um. And having to see people. But there are also days where I'm like, okay, let's go talk.

I'm ready to socialize. I'm ready to be in a classroom. Um, and so I feel like that switch hasn't fully I haven't fully made that switch back to I love

in-person classes again. Um. Do you feel like you wish you had still had the option? Yes, but I had the option.

Um, not this past fall, but 20. 20. 2021 Fall? Yes. Yeah.

Yes. Thank you. Um, I had the option in one of my classes, or it was one day in-person, one day online.

But. The like online or the you could do it online any day. It was just like.

Whatever. So then I decided just to do it online all the time. And I never went to class ever.

It was an ethics class, which is not very ethical of me, but like it was an ethics class. It wasn't for my major. It wasn't.

It was just a requirement that I had to fill. And so I was like. Why do it? Why bother?

Um, and then one of my classes that fall was also fully online. It was just a once a week class. Um.

And I don't know what we would have done if we were in person, so it's like it was beneficial for that class. Um, I think there are still classes that it's, it

could be beneficial for because I think breakout rooms are a lot better than like turn and talk to the people sitting next to you. Um, which is just my opinion. Yeah. Because I'm more prompted

to speak in a breakout room than like. Well, who said it? Who do I know that is. Yeah. Sitting next to me, you know.

Why do you think that is? That's fascinating. Because you're forced into groups, into breakout rooms. And like when you're in class, it's like, well, which

friend do I know in the class? And what can we talk about? That's not this. Um, but I mean, that's just me, you know, I,

I know there are also the breakout room situations where it's like, not one person talks, nobody looks at each other, your cameras are all just on, and you're all just looking at your phone.

Um, and so I think that those breakout rooms aren't cheap or beneficial either. Um, but I, I always tried to talk when I was in breakout rooms, just.

Because why not? What else are we going to do? You know, I might as well make the best of it.

You said a minute ago that when you were in an ethics class and you had the option to do online, that you just did the online version and then that you you said that maybe that wasn't very ethical

of you. Why do you think that like? It's not very ethical of me not to show up. Well, well, so but if you had the option.

Right. Well, so online still meant you were present. Like she would be in a classroom teaching. Mhm. and you would be on zoom watching her teach to a class. Mhm.

And I just like is half the time I would not even have my computer open. So I was like. I see. I see. I would go to class enough to like, hear what we were talking about. I see. That day.

To be fair, I have taken like a million ethics and philosophy classes before, and so I was like, okay, I know all about Plato's Cave. Like I don't need to hear it for the 10th

time. Um, but I mean, a lot of it was just readings that we'd talk about in class, and when you were online, you couldn't participate in the class discussion.

I see. So I was just like, there's really no point when I write the essay. Like, we were doing a team project and we had

to write a paper. I was like, when I write the essay,. Mhm. It's gonna be a good essay. Like I read the stuff I've heard about this before.

I've had these discussions in other classes, so I just felt like it wasn't worth it. But that's just me. Mhm.

It's definitely my ADHD. I was like, you don't need this. But do you feel, um, you felt just a smidge bad about it?

Yeah. I mean, you always feel bad about missing classes. Also all of Covid, I didn't miss one class.

Wow. So it was like, then school's back in person and the one online class I have, I'm like, ah, whatever. Yeah.

So it was like. Was that tran was that transition semester difficult? Yes. Um, just for like

reasons that weren't I don't know, it was just hard going back and having to socialize that much. It was kind of draining after having so much peace and getting so much sleep and, um, you know, creating

a life within my own head of like, I entertained myself enough to where I like. And, you know, I had my friends that I saw. It was a small group.

Um. But going back and having to meet new people was scary. Like having to, you know, get dressed like I never.

I was always wearing pajamas, even when I was like, with my friends, I'd wear pajamas. They're my friends. I'm not going to impress them.

Like, you know, we couldn't go out to I mean, at that point, maybe at the towards the end of 2021, we could go out to restaurants and stuff. So I'd like throw on a pair of shorts and

a tank top like over the summer. But like, you know, you have to wear school appropriate clothes, which I was always in a tank top and shorts.

And so I was like, well, now I have to put on pants of some sort or modest clothing, which, you know, is just how school goes. But, um, that it was I was like, I I need

to buy new clothes, like I need jackets, because it was then cold at this point. Mhm. And usually when I was cold, I was just in bed. Yeah. And I'm like, okay, well, now I need clothes for cold weather.

Mhm. Um, so yeah, I think the transition was tough. Um, just because I hadn't done it in so long. Mhm.

Um, and I, you know, I didn't really know that many people coming back onto campus. Um, I had spent, you know, semester and a half year, but after two years I hadn't talked to most

of those people anymore. Yeah. Um, when I saw them in person, it was, oh my God, hi, how are you?

But, you know, and I also I switched majors. Mhm. So coming back onto campus, leaving I was about chem major coming back to in person. I was a business major.

I didn't know where the business building was. Um, one of my friends, a couple of my friends at the time were business majors. And I had to ask them, where is this classroom?

Where is this classroom? And they walked me to all of my classes before class started. Um, and I, you know, I had to meet all

new people. All the kids I had met were Stem kids. So now I'm like, I don't know any business kids. And I was also, um, a junior taking freshman and

sophomore level of business classes. So now I'm I'm not even talking to people my own age if I did know them. Um, so that was tough.

So it was just intimidating more than anything. It was very, uh, nerve wracking. I was very anxious, but I got through it. Yeah.

You did. Um, do you want to take a break or switch sides? Okay, I'm good.

Okay. Unless you want one. No. I'm good.

Okay. Um. Okay. How do you feel about LMU's response to the pandemic,

including maybe also your experience with DSS, if relevant? I've always really liked the latest work at DSS or everybody I don't. I've only had experiences with ladies, but they've always been

very wonderful. Um, you know, my freshman year they took extra time to like. They had us all come in.

And this is how you register for classes. This is how you do this. This is how you do this. And, um, I always thought they were very wonderful.

Um. There were certain things that, like they couldn't help me with that were associated with any disability but like out of their control.

And so at that point I was like, I don't know who to talk to. And my teachers were like. Talk to DSS and the DSS

people are like, well, you have to talk to your teacher. Um, there was one point where I, I thought that when I got my accommodations freshman year, I that came

with a note taker. Mhm. Um, which would have been beneficial in my Covid experience with people just talking at me.

Mhm. Um, you know somebody to. Mhm. Who knows how to take notes that I can look at after. Um, and in high school I would take notes and

compare with the person who was, you know, the note taker for me. And I'd be like, oh, so these are the kinds of things I need to be writing down.

These are the kinds of important things that because when my ADHD formulates in, I have to write down every single word they say because I'm not processing anything that they're saying.

So I need to write down everything. That way I can read it back and process it. Mhm. Which like that's not what notes are for.

Um, and so it would have just been nice to see somebodys notes, but I apparently did not get that accommodation and I didn't know why. Mhm.

Um, and not a lot of people could explain it to me. Um, so I just kind of was like, well, I'll just do the best with what I can.

Mhm. Um, and that's okay, I mean, that's kind of what everyone has to do is just do the best, right? Yeah. Do the best you can. So, um, I sorry, I forgot the question. That’s okay.

How did Covid. Uh, LMU's response to the pandemic? I mean, you know. Looking back, like, obviously there are things we could have

done different. But at the time no one knew what to do. No one knew how to do anything.

Like we didn't know what was going to happen. Like we didn't want to end up like Italy was where, you know, I mean, we kind of did, but not, you know, but I don't know, it was just

like. I think that they took necessary precautions of, you know, keeping the rest of the semester online, keeping the next year online, like there were a lot of schools that

I know that did go back after that one semester. Um, I have no idea how. Their cases were. But I mean, we're in Los Angeles, which is like

the most populated city other than maybe New York. Mhm. And so it's like it's a big city. You have people coming from international places from, you know, all over the country.

And it's like. Some people may have not been able to leave there if they were from a different country. Those laws, the the Mhm. Borders, might not have been open on

either end. Mhm. And it's like some people's parents might not have wanted them to go back into an environment that's so heavily populated, because it's not like LMU is a college town. Right. Where we stick with our people.

I mean, yeah, we're up on the bluff, so we're kind of. Mhm. Removed, but like. It's Los Angeles. It's Los Angeles, right.

And so it's like like, I mean, my mom would have been like, that's a decision you have to make, you know, on your own. We're adults technically, but like, people's parents are paying for

this. And so it's like there's the whole side of I don't want my child in danger, but then also I'm paying for them. Mhm. To go to school.

How are you going to make that happen? Mhm. Um, but I do think that everybody had the option of taking a leave of absence. And whether you took it or not, that's on you. Mhm.

And so it's like if you wanted a certain type of schooling. Take a leave of absence and wait or go to a school that will give you what you want. Mhm.

And so I obviously it's not that easy. Um, but I just I feel like they did the best they could, and I think that a lot of people.

I heard a lot of people complaining about the way Mhm. LMU did it, and I'm like, better safe than sorry. Yeah. That's my motto, is that better take more precaution than less.

Um, I get that from my mom. My mom is the most cautious person, and, um, I am too. Now.

I'm like, you know, since I don't live with her, I have to be cautious. Overly cautious for myself. Don't tell her I said that. I won’t. Secret.

Um, but yeah, so I, I think that they did the best they could, and it it obviously wasn't perfect, but, I mean, the way that me personally reacted to the pandemic also wasn't perfect.

So it's like. I learned from what LMU did, and I hope LMU learned from students, faculty, parents feedback. Um, because that's all we really can do is talk

to each other in this situation. And, you know, what does every what will be best for everybody? Mhm. Um, and so I think that.

They tried to do that the best they could. That's your experiences? Yeah. Yeah.

That's great. Yeah. Um, how do you feel about the health mandates? Both, uh, broadly, but specifically at LMU for mandatory masking,

mandatory vaccinations? I mean, I thought it was wonderful not to get too political. That's okay.

You can get totally political. No, I thought it was wonderful. Um. I mean, obviously they

knew more. I mean, as we saw, masks helped to an extent. Obviously people who wore masks still got Covid, but it significantly lessened the percentage.

Um, so I was very pleased with wearing masks in school. I also think it helped ease that transition in my mind of like. Mhm. It's not just a free for all.

Um, obviously the masks were annoying. No one wanted to wear the masks. Mhm. And that's what I wished that people, uh, some people would understand is that no one wants to do this. Mhm. But it's just

what's best for my health, my grandfather's health,. Mhm. My younger brother's health, my cousin who's getting chemo, his health. So it's like there are a lot of more people affected by this than just you.

Um. So I was. And the vaccine, I mean. Why not?

Why not? I don't, I don't understand why not like why? Uh, anyways, uh, that's a, that's a soapbox for another day.

But yeah, I mean, I just, I don't know, people were putting up a big fight and I'm like. I think the way that LMU handled. Um.

People not getting vaccinated because I heard that there were only like ten on campus. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I heard, that there were only ten on the whole campus, and I was

like, wow, okay. Um, but I think, you know, I knew somebody who wasn't. And, um.

She had to continue to. I mean, she, you know, had to wear a mask everywhere. She got tested two times a week.

Wow. Um, yeah. And so I think that. For that for not being vaccinated.

Testing two times a week. You know. That's what. That's the only thing you really can do Mhm. To make

sure that they're not. Bringing Covid in and, um, yeah. So I don't know, I thought that they did the best they could.

And so you really can't do. Okay. Awesome. Okay.

Two questions. Um, do you think since the pandemic that LMU's approach to disability has shifted, or put differently? Um.

Do you perceive increased awareness about accessibility on campus? Um, and does that have any impact on disability and how it's perceived on campus? I can if I can approach that a third way

if you want me. Sure. So like. Everybody talks about disability now. Mhm. After the pandemic, it was all about access. Mhm.

Like coming back like have things. Are things different about access and disability? Truly. Mhm. I'm not quite sure. Um, I mean, I still am given the same.

And I I think that's why. It's because I had them when I came in. Mhm. To LMU. Um, so I kind of.

I knew the drill. I know what I have to do. I know how to get things approved. I know that you know how to get it to

my teachers, stuff like that. Um. But I I know a lot more people that are just now getting diagnosed or still like aren't diagnosed,

but like I don't know what like how to go about that. Um. And so I think that

talking about disability is I mean, if there's more access for everyone. Mhm. The people that truly need it will benefit from it. And the people that will just I mean, because everyone

benefits from more access. Mhm. Like. You know, um. I think that women are never diagnosed as young as they should be.

Um, and all the people I know that are undiagnosed are women. Mhm. Other than one person. Um, and so I think that more access specifically geared towards women is like.

That's what they need because they don't. Like I said, I mean, a lot of my friends are undiagnosed, don't know how to go about getting diagnosed, even if they, like, haven't been diagnosed yet.

Is there something DSS can do? They've reached out. They're like like what can you give me? What can you tell me?

How can you help me? Mhm. Um, while I'm in the process of getting diagnosed, while I'm in the process of getting that note? Mhm.

Um, and I definitely think that there are some things that can be done. Um, but again, I mean, I think access is better for everybody.

Mhm. Um, so I don't know specifically if LMU has done anything. I know that DSS has changed or the people in

this has changed, um, over the last couple of years. Mhm. Um, I was very sad to see one of my favorite ladies leave, but the new lady seems awesome. Mhm. Um, and so I think that they just.

I mean, they're really good about reaching out. I'm always getting emails from DSS. Mhm. About, well, there's this update. There's this update.

Um, and so it just it seems like they're doing a good job. Um. And like you said, you know, disabilities has kind of

taken over, um, post-pandemic because everyone was dealing with things that they never really had to deal with. Mhm. Before. Um, but now you're sitting in a house with all these thoughts. Mhm. In your brain and you're like, okay, maybe

it's this, maybe it's this. Um, and I think social media has also helped open up that door of, like, this thing that you do maybe isn't normal. Mhm.

Um, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Um, and so I think that bringing that on to a college campus, especially well while there's so much stress and anxiety around schooling. Mhm. And post-pandemic anxiety about socializing and things

like that, I think that just all more access is always. Mhm. Always better. Do you think that your professors and your peers in general understand what that means?

More access. Some. Mhm. Um. There are some professors that because like I said before,

there are different types of learning. Mhm. Um, a lot of professors want to, like, outlaw technology in the classroom. Um, and I part of my accommodations is I get

a computer in class. It's easier for me to type notes than write them, because my brain works too fast for me to write things.

Um, so I can type really fast, and I can edit that document. And I don't think that's. Just specifically an ADHD thing. Mhm.

There are a lot of, I mean, anxiety. Mhm. Depression, like there are a lot of other things in which it's easier or more helpful for you to write things on a computer.

Mhm. We also grew up with technology. Mhm. I had technology in high school. We were given iPads.

I had technology in middle school. We had a computer card that came around and like you had to your class had to like check out the computer card to use it.

But we had access to it. And so it's like. I don't think. Like they're worried about kids getting distracted. Mhm. And, you

know, online shopping or, or whatnot. Um, and so I understand the reason for outlawing computers, but I also think that like. You just made us use computers for, what, a year

and a half? Two years like. And now you're going to say I can't use it anymore.

Like I got so used to doing everything. All homework. you had to turn it on a computer. Mhm. You couldn't.

I mean, there were some teachers that were like, you have to print this out and take Adobe scanned PDF screenshots of it and send it to me. I'm like, why?

What does that do? And obviously there are some classes, like, um, if I was still doing labs like right out of chem lab. Obviously that's a different scenario.

I don't know how they did the labs on computers. Like maybe it worked better, maybe it didn't. Mhm. But me personally, in business classes. When you work in business, you're on a computer. Mhm.

No matter what you do. And so it's like, I just don't understand why we're now trying to outlaw computers completely. And it's like.

A lot of I have heard of a teacher. I don't know who it is. Had have not had them. Um, my friend was telling me that will call students

out. Like, do you have a disability? Like, are you allowed to be on your computer right now?

And they either have to say yes or no. And and you know, obviously that's like, why are you doing that? That's not very cool.

Um, me personally, I'm very open about the fact of I have ADHD, like it should have been in your email like. If you get the email, put a check next to

that person's name or something on the attendance sheet so you don't have to say, hey, you like that? I just don't get it. But along with those lines, I also don't understand like.

A computer is more accessibility, so why are we not being a little more lenient with. If that's what you want to do, that's fine. Mhm. And maybe teachers need to be.

More. Um. Connect with their kids more of like, what is your learning style?

Obviously they can't change the way that they teach or change the way that the class runs. Mhm. But they can let the kids alter their own methods of how to do in the class. Mhm.

Because it's like. I don't I don't know like I, I in high school I knew this girl who created sheets like worksheets for each class.

She did that on her own on her iPad. So if a teacher says she can't use her technology, then like, that's that's how she learns and she's doing all this work for it, and you're not letting her.

You're making her do it the way you want it done. Mhm. But this isn't your brain. This isn't your future.

This is your job. And so it's like. I think that. You know, at a private school like LMU.

Um. People feel like they have more of a say of like, well, this is how I want it done. Mhm. Because they're getting paid to tell you that. Mhm.

But, like, this is my. If I don't want to show up to class three days in a row, that's on me. I'm an adult. Mhm.

Like what? What do you like? You're going to fail me because I didn't come to class.

What if I already know that week's worth of material? What if I did it ahead? What if I turn and I'm in a class about Excel?

It's 100% about Excel this semester. I took that last semester. Different class, but same exact. My teacher spent a week, so that's three hours talking

about. Graphs, how to graph on Excel, the different kinds of graphs on Excel. I'm like, I know what a bar graph is.

I know what a pie chart is. Why am I sitting here for an hour and a half wasting my time just for you to be like, okay, now we're going to learn how to make the

graph. I can do all of these in five minutes and walk out the door. Mhm. If that's all you want to see.

If all you want to see is I know how to do what you want me to do, I can do it in 15 minutes at home, Mhm. Send you the thing.

So, like. It's like. More accessibility isn't always like.

More office hours. Mhm. Sometimes it's. Mhm. Well, what's beneficial for you to learn best in this class?

For me to learn best in this class is to, like, read whatever you want me to read. Mhm. Do what you want me to do. If I have a question, I'll ask you. Mhm.

But that's all on my computer. And so it's like for him to be like computers down, we're going to like, listen to this PowerPoint of you reading about graphs.

Then you're going to open your computer and do the graph. I'm like, can I not do like, can we not learn about a bar graph while making a bar graph

at the same time? Mhm. I think that's beneficial, but that's my learning style. Mhm. Maybe that's not the person sitting next to me. Mhm. So like, I don't know why we as humans can't

tailor classes the Or tailor the information we're being given in classes to fit ourselves better. Mhm. And I think that teachers just need to be more open.

Some teachers need to be more open minded about that. I don't know if that answered your question. It's great, I mean. Okay.

It's great. It this is totally tangential, but it makes me wonder about, um, you know, universal design for learning, like how universal design also works in marketing.

That was so interesting because those same concepts must map over there. Yeah. But Yeah. It's totally tangential. Yeah, I totally hear what you're saying.

Um, okay. Last question. Mhm. What is one thing you hope people of the future learn from this?

And this can be anything. From this being Covid, or? It could be Covid or it could be this conversation or. There's a lot I hope people learn from Covid like

wash your hands, um, just be cleanly. And it kind of blows my mind that, like, people weren't doing some of these things before. Um, but I guess going off my last soapbox.

Um. Just be more open minded about. Other people's wants, needs and their own brains because nobody knows.

I mean, no one knows what else is going on in anybody else's life unless they tell you. And even then, all you can do is listen. You can't understand.

Um, and so I. I hope that. You know, over the pandemic, a lot of people really struggled.

Um, everyone was dealing with mental health issues that they had never thought of before, and probably a lot of them were dealing with symptoms of it before, but just kept distracting themselves with other things and said, well, I

can't deal with this right now. I have to go to work. Mhm. Um, but when you're home alone with your thoughts, with your family, you know, things there, there are things that

make it worse. And so I just hope that people realize how important. Taking breaks are, and how important things like mental health and disabilities truly are.

Um. And that people that have been dealing with them for a long time, like me, I got diagnosed when I was 13.

Mhm. Um, I've learned a lot along the way and a lot of people come and ask me for advice about how did you deal with this part of ADHD.

And obviously it's going to be different for each person. My dad has it and he and I manifest totally differently. Mhm. Um, there are a lot that are similar, but it's

like. You have to do what's best for yourself in the end, and what's best for me might not be best for my dad. Mhm. You know, dealing with ADHD.

Mhm. Um, and so I just wish that people were. More open minded and understanding that not everyone thinks like you.

Um, not everyone is going through what you're going through, and even if they are, it's totally different within each person. Um.

And I feel like I'm beating a dead horse at this point. But yeah, I just. Yeah, it's kind of it.

Is there anything else that you thought we would talk about that you wanted to say that didn't come up? Oh, man. Anything you were like, oh, I definitely want to put

this down in the archive. Go Lions. I don't know. That's awesome.

I'm proud to be a lion. You know, I think that they were dealing with it. Everyone had to deal with it. And yeah, we can sit and talk about everything everyone

did wrong. But, like, I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be back. And yeah.

That's really nice. Cool, great.