US college demonstrations: "My last memory of college will be student arrests"

US college demonstrations: "My last memory of college will be student arrests"

They were high school seniors in January 2020. Graduation was approaching quickly. However, so was a fatal epidemic.

By the middle of March, Covid had completely disrupted everyday life, forcing many kids to finish their last few months of school at home. There were no proms.

Those same pupils are currently in college and preparing to graduate after four years. And once again they confront a similar sourness of what ought to be a joyous event.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have broken out on more than 130 US college campuses, with organizers calling for their schools to sever their connections with Israeli-affiliated businesses.

They have established sizable camps in the center of the campus and disregarded many orders to leave, leading to police raids and the arrest of nearly 2,000 people.

For the second time, three seniors discuss how they're handling the turbulent conclusion to their academic careers.

"My last memories are of students being dragged away by police."

Madison Morris, 22, Texas University

My last final test was on the same day that the state troopers arrived. They were already on campus and encroaching on students when I arrived.

There was a great deal of anxiety. Never before had I been so close to so many police officers. It was horrible.

I was having trouble focusing, so I didn't really prepare for my test later that day. I could not take my eyes off of what I had just seen. Probably not as well as I would have liked on the test.

The day I saw my fellow students, who had peacefully assembled on the main lawn as protestors, being carried away by police and detained was my final day of classes.

That is something that will always be etched in my mind. I will always remember them as my last moments in college.

Considering all that is going wrong, it is difficult to be even somewhat cheerful at the moment. I feel like I'm so swamped that I can't even really enjoy my successes.

Next week is graduation week. Having not had a true one in high school, I had been anticipating it for the last four years. We were forced to wear masks and there was social alienation due to COVID-19. Nothing remained the same.

This year, I really wanted to have a conventional graduation. I've been making an effort to really enjoy my senior year and simply soak everything in, but it may be challenging when things like these are happening. Really, it all seems quite dystopian, like Covid.

"I might not be able to attend the graduation ceremony."

Craig Birckhead-Morton, a 21-year-old Yale student

On April 22, 48 students were detained, including myself. At six thirty in the evening, our safety marshals alerted me to the fact that the police were encircling the campsite. We were instructed to stand and make ready for an arrest. On the same day, I attended class. It's been a very challenging period of extreme stress.

My two final papers are due today. My Arabic assignment is due today. And because of everything that's going on, I'm still behind.

Since my family is involved in all of this, my senior year is really significant. They hope I get my degree. It has been a big worry of mine.

The university's intentions for responding are yet unknown to us. And that's worse in many respects than the real accusations we face in court.

At graduation, we may not be permitted to walk. It's possible that we won't get our final transcripts or diplomas. The transcript is essential to me. I need it in order to graduate from the Columbia master's program into which I got enrolled.

In my opinion, the information that I am gaining at Yale should be used to a worthy cause. I felt compelled to maintain the line on this because of this. Palestine's current state of affairs is intolerable.

During my last week of high school, I can still clearly recall the first week of March. Things were made distant and we were sent home.

That was the end, even if we weren't aware of it. No graduation, no prom. Both the epidemic and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations caused significant disruptions. That was also a significant aspect of my high school career, and it helped me become organized and get to where I am now.

"Students' lives are being ruined by protesters."

Melissa Manesh, a 21-year-old student at USC

These are the last few days we will ever spend as students on campus, and they should be a joyous occasion. And suddenly demonstrators are taking over. There's a lot of mayhem going on. It irritates me.

The demonstrators are depressing students. At a time when most individuals are attempting to prepare for final exams, libraries are closed.

Helicopters are flying in the area. There are only two open gates to the campus, which means that some of us have to go a considerable distance. Additionally, a sizable portion of the campus is blocked by protesters, making it seem dangerous to go about.

I am aware that many Jewish pupils feel afraid. They will yell at you. They'll brand you an advocate of genocide. These demonstrators and their very insulting placards are not anything we want to see. It makes having to study more stressful. When everything is in front of you, it's difficult to ignore this. It is really inconvenient.

I wouldn't have believed you if you had informed me that the graduation was going to be canceled. We were all really angry and disturbed when we found out. This, which we've all been waiting for, was set to be one of the most significant events of our academic careers, but it's now gone.

In addition, the Covid pandemic prevented my high school class of 2020 from having a graduation. This is rather depressing and disturbing, and it feels a lot like that. However, it seems much more intimate and profound today. Not every senior in the globe this time around is not getting their ceremony. It happens to every USC senior who is graduating.