Bernice Delos Reyes, Class of 2020, found herself spending her last semester and graduation in a global pandemic. With classes and commencement moving online and the whole world going on lockdown, Delos Reyes went into survival mode, unsure where to go or what to do.
Delos Reyes, who is a double major in social research and public policy, as well as theater, considered every option, from staying in the UAE to moving to Europe, to going back home. In those first few months, she cast a wide net in search of job opportunities, but it seemed like it was one dead end after another.
“When COVID happened, I wasn't really given the chance to plan and like a lot of students, I felt frustrated and hopeless,” she says. “I was literally applying in every industry, constantly emailing people, trying to land virtual interviews and seek advice from mentors.”