Turning disappointment into opportunity

The month of March had been circled on my calendar all year. My favorite memory from my college experience to date was covering the 2019 postseason for Maryland men’s basketball as I traveled from city to city with my colleagues. I was even more excited for this year as the team’s potential for a deep run looked more promising. As long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of covering a Final Four, and this would likely be my best shot while still in college. My staff and I had trips planned to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament, followed by wherever the team would play the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. But when COVID-19 was deemed a global pandemic by the WHO, those plans vanished into thin air. Canceling the rest of the season was no doubt the right one, but that didn’t change the overwhelming feeling of disappointment, one I struggled to shake for some time. It wasn’t just the experience that was tough to lose; I had a whole month of coverage planned revolving around the postseason and finally having open locker room access. Much of how I dealt with that, as well as the anxiety that comes with a global pandemic, was finding new ways to keep coverage going for the website I run, Testudo Times. From doubling down on our podcasts to diving into the history of Maryland athletics to creating a new video series where I reunite past teams, the experience taught me how to turn disappointment into an opportunity to find new and creative ways to produce content and keep myself busy.