Kalin Morphet Oral History, 2020/11/22

Changes to How Life Operates

This interview is with one of my closest friends. Although we talk all the time, and are a part of each other daily lives interviewing her in this kind of almost formal format and asking her very pointed questions that I don't typically ask was a bit eye opening. I already knew a lot of what she said, but to hear it all laid out and not intertwined and in bits between the busyness our lives really opened my eyes to how much our lives has had to change because of COVID-19, even as we continue to chug along. I think this is important to know because so often we're bogged down with continuing to go though the motions and check boxes we forget to slow down and think about the circumstances of out situation with COVID.

11/22/2020

Victoria Saldana

Kalin Morphet

Victoria Saldana

HS3390

St. Mary's University

oral history

English Education--Universities

#coveryourfangs

courses

virtual learning

mask

extracurriculars

student life

#coveryourfangs

changes

student life

HS3390

College COVID Stories

#CoverYourFangs

11/22/2020

11/25/2020

02/16/2021

04/05/2021

05/08/2021

07/17/2021

05/22/2022

12/13/2023

11/22/2020

Victoria Saldana

Kalin Morphet

San Antonio

Texas

United States of America

mp4

English

00:04:05

This interview is with one of my closest friends. Although we talk all the time, and are a part of each other daily lives interviewing her in this kind of almost formal format and asking her very pointed questions that I don't typically ask was a bit eye opening. I already knew a lot of what she said, but to hear it all laid out and not intertwined and in bits between the busyness our lives really opened my eyes to how much our lives has had to change because of COVID-19, even as we continue to chug along. I think this is important to know because so often we're bogged down with continuing to go though the motions and check boxes we forget to slow down and think about the circumstances of out situation with COVID.

Victoria Saldana 0:01
All righty. So let's start out first with your name.

Kalin Morphet 0:06
My name is Kalin Morphet.

Victoria Saldana 0:09
Alrighty, and what is your classification and major, Kalin?

Kalin Morphet 0:14
I am a senior, and I'm a business and history major.

Victoria Saldana 0:18
Awesome. And how many classes are you taking this semester?

Kalin Morphet 0:22
I’m taking five.

Victoria Saldana 0:25
How many of your classes have gone almost completely online?

Kalin Morphet 0:30
Um, well, initially, the real-life classes are online and two in person. And now four are online and only one person.

Victoria Saldana 0:43
So a lot of changes. Um, do you feel that you've benefited more- that you would have benefited more being in the classroom this semester, specifically with any course material, specifically, like any specific courses have been better?

Kalin Morphet 0:59
Um, for a few of my courses, sure, it would have been nice to be in person. But I have been- I was pleasantly surprised that Zoom wasn't as like, incumbent on my education. I thought it was mostly okay. I still got the material I needed. The professors worked pretty hard to accommodate anything else that we needed that wouldn't work over Zoom.

Victoria Saldana 1:29
Do you see any benefits other than just the safety benefits of being online, of course?

Kalin Morphet 1:36
Yeah. I don't think there's any other benefits to being online other than safety.

Victoria Saldana 1:41
Um, were you involved in any extra- are you involved in any extracurriculars outside of class?

Kalin Morphet 1:48
I was involved in previous years, but I have not been involved in any this semester.

Victoria Saldana 1:55
And is that because of COVID because they had to function differently or just busyness?

Kalin Morphet 2:00
Um, partly both. I was also taking an extra course, so I was extra busy, and I also work which takes a lot of time. And a lot of organizations have been a lot more different online, because of COVID, which is understandable, so there was less opportunity, and it just wasn't as viable this semester.

Victoria Saldana 2:20
And talking about work, has COVID affected your job? Do you feel like you've had to- or you-they have made you cut back in hours or any new regulations?

Kalin Morphet 2:31
Well, we have decrease hours now. And so that is cut back an hour. And we also have to wear a mask while we're at work, which makes sense, but it makes it frustrating, especially since I work with children. So it's hard to communicate with them and yell at them when I need to. Um, other than that, it hasn't really affected work too much, which is honestly probably a negative one than a positive ‘cause I don't think my work is taking proper precautions.

Victoria Saldana 3:05
Definitely. And do you feel like you've gotten the same education this semester as you have in previous semesters because of online classes? Or do you feel like it's kind of a downgrade in quality and your expectations?

Kalin Morphet 3:22
I think it really depends on the course. But overall, it's definitely been a downgrade. A lot of professors that I've had in previous years, though, are scattered this semester. They didn't put nearly as much time or energy into the course was just because everything was so up in the air. And so they're barely do anything goes all over the place. I don't think I've ever learned anything in the course, which I know would have been different if we were in person, and it was much more consistent, regular semester.

Victoria Saldana 3:52
Awesome. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. And I will send you over just a little document, and it's basically a consent form. Okay?

Kalin Morphet 4:02
Okay, sounds good. Thank you.

Victoria Saldana 4:04
Thank you.