Friday, May 10, 2024
Graduation edition
From masks to gowns
OSU seniors look back on their freshman year Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief
On Saturday, York and the class of 2024 will walk across the stage at Gallagher-Iba Arena four years after wondering if life would return to normal. During her freshman year, Cara York never bought a York didn’t meet several classmates prom dress. because some of her classes were The COVID pandemic kept York from going to her senior prom in rotation, where part of the class would go in person one week, and and forced her school to have a the other would go the next. Faces socially distant graduation. York, a fashion merchandising weren’t familiar because they were major, spent summer 2020 dreaming hidden behind masks and after dropping her sorority two months about how her time at OSU would into the semester, York said she felt go: sorority recruitment, social events and meeting new people. But lost and needed a community. Because students were limited when she made it to Stillwater, the on the face-to-face activities they reality was different. Classes were could do, York said she spent a lot hybrid, and sorority recruitment was of time with her roommates in their done over Zoom. The uncertainty dorm, and though it was fun, she around when COVID would end still longed for more connections. was still floating around. Although York loved her “College was not what I exmajor, she said getting involved in pected when I got here,” York said. certain leadership roles was chal“Everyone said, ‘I feel so bad for you because that is not what college lenging because most meetings were online, and she did not enjoy talking looks like,’ and that was discourto a computer. As her first semester aging to hear. I was just trying to ended, York said she wasn’t certain make the most of what I had been Bella Casey she wanted to stay at OSU. In spring given.” 2021, York decided to transfer, but Four years after the COVID pandemic started, OSU seniors look back on their freshman year and the struggles COVID brought.
her decision didn’t last long. She has her mom and small positive events to thank for that. York said her mom kept encouraging her to be patient and give herself some grace. “She would say, ‘What you are going through is not normal; no one has had this college experience before; things will get better,’” York said. “After I decided to transfer, there was something good every week, and God showed me bits and pieces of why I belonged at OSU.” York said she came to OSU full of expectations, and during the first part of her freshman year, they still needed to be fulfilled. York said the spring semester brought the sun back, more relaxed COVID regulations and friends she didn’t see coming. York got involved with BCM and the student council and will graduate with an orange gown, which is given to five distinguished students in the university in recognition for their academic achievements. “I went from a girl to a woman,” York said. “ I’ve grown up in Stillwater. Everything worked out for a reason.” See Gown on 8A
Sons motivate mom to return for degree Kennedy Thomason News & Lifestyle Editor Nessa Washam didn’t plan on returning to school. At least not until her sons said it wasn’t possible. Washam flunked out of two semesters at OSU before she decided to call it quits. It wasn’t working out, and she didn’t want to waste any more time or money. She joined OSU Athletics and worked there for 17 years, having three children along the way. On Saturday, she will graduate with a bachelor’s in psychology. “It was a big discussion,” Washam said. “Because they weren’t doing well in school. And I remember my youngest telling me that I can’t really say anything about him not going to college because I never finished college.” As a single mom working full time, she didn’t see a college degree in her future. When her sons started to get old enough to consider college, Washam said she encouraged them to go. After many conversations with her sons, Washam said not having her degree was a sticking point. That’s when Washam decided it was time to go back. She re-enrolled at OSU as a psychology major, with dreams of becoming an art therapist. She started school again in January 2020. Three months later, the COVID pandemic hit, and Washam and her sons began doing school online. “I think it was harder for my kids with their school than it was for me,” Washam said. Washam continued to work full time, raise three children alone and take a mixture of online and in-person classes each semester while helping her sons with their work. Nolan Bousquet, Washam’s boy-
What’s Inside
Payton Little
After being diagnosed with diabetes during her junior year, Harper Meehan decided to be a resource for others with the diagnosis, creating a TikTok page to share her story.
Dealing with diabetes
Senior helps others with diagnosis Raynee Howell Staff Reporter
Courtesy of Nessa Washam
Nessa Washam, 40, will graduate Saturday with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. friend, said she worked around the clock to make time for everyone and everything she had to get done. She started her day at 5 a.m., went to work, used her lunch break to attend class and took care of her sons after work. Every weekend she would drive an hour to Arcadia to spend time with Bousquet. “Looking back, I don’t know how I had the energy for all of it, but I was going to school full time, working full time, doing overtime and I was actually volunteering for Wings of Hope (a local domestic violence shelter),” Washam said. “So it was like my life never stopped.”
“Tulsa Time” Things to do in Tulsa
See Student on 4A
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For some, a diagnosis can take a toll, both mentally and physically. For Meehan, it did, but it also brought a sense of relief. It was a way for her to explain the symptoms she felt during the One emergency room visit her past six months. junior year changed the way Harper Before her diagnosis, Meehan lost Meehan would live the rest of her life. large amounts of hair and weight. Her Her shift at Northside Laundry & energy levels were always low, and she Cleaners, a local dry cleaners, started often missed class. Meehan searched the same as it always had on a Friday for ways to feel better, and nothing was before midterms. Before Meehan could helping. tell what was happening, her heart rate “Getting that diagnosis was scary, became irregular. but the moment I got put on insulin, I With a quick phone call to her instantly felt better,” Meehan said. “As dad, a nurse, she decided to leave work much as it stunk, I thought I was never and go to the emergency room. Meehan, going to feel healthy again, and I started with knowledge she acquired growing to slowly feel healthy from that (insuup with her father, knew something was lin).” wrong when the doctor mentioned her Learning a new lifestyle seemed blood sugar levels. The question quickly intimidating, but Meehan said she knew changed from if she had diabetes to it was for the better. To find community, whether she was type one or two. Meehan turned to the internet. Meehan “I was checked into the ER that started a page about her journey with Friday, and I was admitted to the inten- diabetes on TikTok to share her experisive care unit in diabetic ketoacidosis,” ences and meet others with the same Meehan said. “And I was diagnosed diagnosis. with type one diabetes.” In the early days of diagnosis, the Meehan spent the weekend in the community she made on TikTok, and ICU, yet she returned to campus the next then later in a Discord group, made her Monday to take her midterms. feel less alone. See Diagnosis on 4A
“Golden retriever energy” Student works as EMT
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International grads International students graduate with master’s
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