Kate Beebe '21

Kate Beebe, Traditional Undergraduate Class of 2021, is a film major who completed her last year at Bay Path University entirely remote. When she first heard about the pandemic and saw Bay Path, businesses, and schools shut down she did not expect how much the world would change. “I thought it might last a few months and then would be over, clearly I was mistaken.”

Prior to the pandemic, Kate had taken several online courses and had even preferred them over in-person courses. She was just happy to continue her education but did have to adjust to Zoom once more professors used it during the fall semester. Eventually, Kate felt it was a nice tool to communicate directly with the professor and her peers in real-time.

“I think using Zoom really helps it feel like a real class where everyone is learning all together. Students are able to ask questions that maybe others also have questions about. It helps for the students that need to be in a classroom setting learn the way that is best for them.”

To keep her mind off of the pandemic and channel her creative energy, Kate started reading books for enjoyment and painting much more than she did in the previous year. She thinks one positive side of the pandemic is how it really allowed people to find new hobbies and interests, along with discovering their true passions in life. 

As many film majors do, Kate has dreamed of living and working in New York City since she was 10 years old. As the pandemic continued, her mindset shifted towards valuing home ownership over renting which led her away from the city dream. In addition to her desire to invest in her future home, she also had a change of heart in her career path. Although Kate still wanted to enter the film industry, she has her sights set on writing scripts and editing videos instead of creating big name movies. “I think the pandemic was very eye opening and if it wasn’t for it then I might have not been able to sit and really think about my future.”

During this time of remote work and minimal positions available, Kate was having trouble completing her internship requirement. With the help of her career coach Tracy Trial and academic advisor Professor Janine Fondon, she was able to set up a self-study project in her field of interest to fulfill the internship credits.

When asked what lessons she learned throughout the pandemic she said, “Don’t take life for granted because you never know how long you have. You have to enjoy every minute that you have and don’t waste it. You’re only here once.”

With all the challenges this past year has presented, she cautions incoming students to not be afraid of online classes but stay on top of deadlines and get ahead when possible. Kate also encourages them to not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone as she has learned from experience how it can lead to so many great opportunities.