The Johnnie Bubble Under Quarantine

The Johnnie Bubble is what Johnnie’s like to call the experience we endure during our college years. The Annapolis campus is a one block area where 400 students live and study together. Our college program is rather unique compared to other colleges and universities, so the students here are inherently connected to each other through our studies. We have a small campus, small student body, and a special program where everyone reads the same texts. The general energy of the campus is a buzz of curiosity and love of learning, so we tend to stick to our classmates and tutors immersing ourselves into the academic life. The Bubble effect comes into play when the momentum of the program sweeps us all off our feet to float down and sometimes race down the river to higher knowledge. We become totally immersed in the Johnnie way of life and find ourselves existing in a world only Johnnies understand – seminars, the quad, study groups, intramurals, open studio, lecture … the bubble.

            Under the current conditions of the world, St. John’s has begun operating quarantine style, or more commonly called social distancing. Everything has moved online from tutorials to senior orals. Johnnies now exist in a split world. We are dispersed all over the world, yet we all tune into our online classes. We have one foot in the bubble and the other foot in our strange new environments separate from the Johnnie community. We are resilient despite the split nature of our education. Online classes are going smoothly with plenty of cats walking through the video frame to brighten everyone’s day. Our Johnnie conversations will never cease despite the difficulties of being spread out. As a Sophomore, we are in our second week of writing period coming off two weeks of spring break. I find myself missing tutorials and seminars. The disconnect from classes is disheartening. With classes resuming for the Sophomores next week all will be well. The Johnnie Bubble may be disrupted, but we have found ways to exist in harmony with each other on the outside.