Editorial | Top 10 things we learned this semester

This semester had a lot to offer. From water main breaks to gas leaks to Pitt closing Forbes Craig to The Tent, it’s been a wild ride. We learned a lot over the past few months. About 25% of this learning came from our Zoom classes. The other 75% just came from existing in the world, or on Pitt’s campus.

10. How to actually cook

It’s amazing that there’s a world beyond instant ramen. We’ve been so bored this semester that we’ve actually been cooking. Real meals. Like black bean burgers. But don’t worry, our culture editor is still eating poptarts, too. Balance is key.

9. Sitting in a chair is painful

A few weeks ago, we made fun of a commercial about orthopedic desk chairs in an editorial. In hindsight, these chairs are probably pretty useful, and might curb our excruciating neck and back pain, which has resulted from sitting in an Ikea chair on Zoom all day.

8. Scheduled nap time

It’s like we’re in kindergarten again. Except we aren’t drinking apple juice or laying on mats on the gym floor. We’re just sad tired college students who will literally sleep all day unless we allot time to take a nap, and set an alarm to wake up.

7. Pitt football sucks

Pitt football had a great start for three games, before losing to NC State, even though the odds were in their favor. After this, it all went down hill. The Panthers lost the next three games, and finally won against Florida State last week. We guess that’s good? But also, Allegheny County is reporting more than 600 cases of COVID-19 a day, and yesterday issued a stay-at-home advisory. Pitt is still, as of now, allowing fans at Saturday’s home football game against Virginia Tech.

6. Pitt needs to treat students better 

The best Pitt could do to take care of students this semester was give us a singular student self-care day that, for many students, didn’t provide much relief. The University also hasn’t taken great care of students in isolation housing. And testing-wise, the best thing we were offered was randomized testing and a take-home test that will probably be processed after we get home, defeating the entire purpose of getting tested before going home.

5. Zoom outfits

If you wear jeans to your Zoom classes, why do you wear jeans to your Zoom classes? Seriously. Why? This is how you get dressed for your Zoom class — change your shirt, but keep your pajama pants on. Just don’t get up to grab a book on your shelf with your camera on. All of your classmates will see your pants that have cactuses wearing Santa hats printed on them.

4. What all of our professor’s homes look like

A professor who doesn’t sit in front of a bookshelf while running class? We’ll sooner see a white tiger. 

3. You are not as fun to hang out with as you thought

We used to all think we were pretty fun people to be around, even while we were sober. It turns out, when you have to hang out with basically only yourself for seven months straight, you get a little tired and bored of yourself. Basically every drunk person thinks they are fun, but we’ve gotten to the point where we don’t even think we’re fun drunk anymore.

2. Vacuuming is useful

We used to eat our pretzels and chips on the go, and in the office. It turns out the quarantine snacks we’ve been eating for the past seven months make crumbs. Amazing how science works. Anyway, because of this, we have actually needed to use our vacuums this year. And empty the bags? Who knew that was a thing.

1. What a shelter-in-place is

Shelter-in-place, according to Merriam Webster, is defined as “instructing or requiring people to remain in their current location until a danger has passed.” Apparently Pitt has not learned what a shelter-in-place is.