The cancellation of fall varsity sports due to the coronavirus pandemic, has created an opportunity for McGillAthletics.ca to profile two student-athletes every week. In our "Home & Away Series" we rotate between individuals that have elected to take online courses from their family home, and others that are doing their online studies from their on-campus residence.
Meet
Pria Flanagan, a Political Science senior from Kamloops, B.C. She is a 5-foot-6 forward on the women's field hockey team.
"This year was going to be a really busy one for me, combining my last year of school, field hockey and preparation for the LSATs (Law School Admission Test). As hard as it's been to miss my final season of field hockey, the silver lining is more time to study and excel on the educational side."
Normally a very regimented, schedule-oriented person, Pria says the initial change was a shock to the system. She has acclimated but misses the camaraderie and competitiveness of the season.
"We play in the OUA and our season is relatively compact, so during September and October we would normally be traveling all over the place, bussing to Western University and around Ontario to compete. We are on the road essentially every weekend. The amount of travel and time spent together really makes us a tight-knit group, so of course it's tough to let go of that, particularly in my last season. You just have to roll with the punches and make the best of it."
On the bright side, Pria has already managed to knock off portions of the LSAT, writing a couple of practice tests and having dedicated considerably more time than she would otherwise have been able to. She's already been accepted to a few American law schools and is waiting to hear back from the programs she applied to in Canada.
She is also adjusting in terms of her living situation, going from three roommates last year to none. Staying in B.C. was a consideration, but ultimately she wanted to be in Montreal because so many of her friends were also entering their final year.
"It's very strange being in the McGill ghetto on my own, it's so quiet and my would-be roommate decided not to come. It almost feels as though I am not really in university, it's a very strange feeling. It looks as though we won't have a traditional graduation this year, but again, just make the best of it and stay positive."
She plans on continuing to hunker down and excel in both her final year of political science and LSAT preparation, turning an unconventional graduating season into one that is as productive as possible.
