Monday, Monday 9, 12:31 p.m.: I receive an email from my university’s president announcing that all in-person classes are suspended until March 27. The university encourages us to return home for the next three weeks. At around 7 p.m., I arrive home from the Beaufort office and pack my bags, joking with my roommates about how we may not ever see each other again. We laugh and they tell me about how students have been relaxing all day, knowing that classes for the next two days are canceled entirely. My dad picks me up and I leave my dorm for what I believe will be an extra-long Spring Break.

Tuesday, March 10, 4:35 p.m.: I receive another email from school. This one demands that all students who are able to leave campus housing immediately, and I wonder if there were too many parties on campus last night or if there is actually something to worry about. Rumors start to swirl about classes being online until after Easter. The idea is frustrating, but not the worst thing that could happen.

Wednesday, March 11, 9:45 p.m.: Another email. All students studying abroad, including those at the university’s London campus, have been called home in light of developing quarantine measures and travel restrictions. All on-campus events are canceled through March 29. I receive a frantic email from a member of an on-campus organization that I lead; she tells me she is not going to be able to meet an assignment deadline because she is packing for her 6 a.m. flight. It is nearly midnight.

Thursday, March 12: No emails are sent out today. My friends and I track the decisions being made by other schools. Some have suspended in-person instruction for two or three weeks. Others have switched to online classes for the rest of the semester. I still believe that we will return to campus, at least for the last few weeks of classes and for final exams.

Friday, March 13, 8:59 p.m.: I receive the email that breaks my heart: the university has decided to finish the semester online. We will not be able to return to campus. All events for the remainder of the year, including our end-of-semester celebrations, are canceled. Decisions about graduation have yet to be made, but no promises are made. Sitting in my childhood bedroom, I cry. My friends call me and we cry together. Hours later, I tell my parents the news and cry again.

In a matter of four days, my college experience was turned upside down. Everything I had grown to love—being on my own, living within walking distance of friends from all over the country, lounging on the lawn on campus, sharing coffee with friends in the library at 2 a.m., having Manhattan a train stop away—was taken away before I could even process it. All of a sudden, I was back at home trying to find a desk to do my work at.

This is not the way I planned to end things. As a senior, this was supposed to be the best part of my college career. I was excited to hand off my positions to underclassmen. I was excited to attend awards ceremonies. I was excited to watch the sunrise from the football field the morning of graduation. I was excited to do everything one last time, knowing that it would be the last time.

Now, as I sit at home wishing I had taken more pictures of campus and of my friends, I can’t help but think about all the things I will not get to do. I have been trying to balance this sadness with the little joys of everyday life, but it is not an easy task. One thing that has helped me is making a daily list of what I am grateful for. These lists often include things like having a safe home, having a healthy and loving family, and having good WiFi and my boyfriend’s Netflix password. While it doesn’t feel like much, I know that it is far more than what others have. For each and every thing on my list, I am truly thankful.

Stay healthy and until next time,

Charlotte Beaurontё

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, I’ve decided to reflect on some iconic female figures in literature.  Each of these individuals offers her own interpretation of what it is to be a woman and provides us with valuable lessons that we can implement—even if just in little ways—into our everyday lives.

Jo March in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women

As one of the most popular coming-of-age stories to date, Little Women offers plenty of lessons in love, charity, and compassion.  Jo March, the ‘boy’ of the group, adds a fourth and equally important value to the list: independence.  Despite the expectations of women at the time, Jo happily pursues her career in writing and is in no rush to find a husband.  She decides to transform Plumfield into a private school on her own and is never discouraged from chasing her dreams out of fear of appearing unladylike.  Although Jo ultimately settles down with Professor Bhaer, she does so on her own terms, showing readers that women can maintain their independence no matter where their lives lead them.

Denver in Toni Morrison’s Beloved

While she is not the main character in Toni Morrison’s chilling novel, Denver is nonetheless an important one.  Concerned by her mother’s deteriorating health and mental state, Denver leaves her home after twelve years of confinement to search for help.  With no guidance and minimal education, Denver finds her old teacher, Lady Jones, and is not only able to return home with food and supplies but also find a job for herself.  Denver’s strength is no small feat. She must defy her mother’s previous orders, venture out into the world without aid, and finally admit to Beloved’s malignancy—despite the fact that Denver believes she is her sister’s spirit—in order to save her mother’s life.

Jane Eyre in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre 

Brontë’s Jane Eyre describes the hardships and struggles of the title character, an orphan brought up largely by her cruel aunt and an abusive headmaster.  Jane exhibits admirable bravery throughout the book. From leaving Lowood to become a governess to fleeing Thornfield to returning to profess her undying love for Rochester, Jane constantly follows her instincts, even when she does not have an exact plan.  Known for her iconic line, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me,” Jane Eyre offers a depiction of personal bravery that all people can emulate.

Maya Angelou in her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings 

Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings recounts the countless instances of racism, trauma, and horror that Angelou endured throughout her young life.  Despite such innumerable atrocities, Angelou’s memoir is a portrait of her own perseverance. She emerges stronger every step of the way, with a new lesson learned or another harsh reality accepted.  In the end, Angelou depicts herself blossoming as a confident, young mother and a strong, driven woman.

Happy Women’s History Month! Until next time, 

Charlotte Beaurontё

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.

Hello readers!

 I am one of the new interns for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press for the next few months!  I am very excited to share my thoughts, experiences, and, of course, good reads with you from time to time.  As a lover of classic literature, I’ll be going by the nom-de-plume Charlotte Beaurontё.  Jane Eyre was one of my favorite books from high school and it helped me understand why “the classics” are so everlasting.

Seeing as this is my first blog post, I find it fitting to offer a brief introduction of myself.  For the past four years, I have spent most of my time in New York going to school. I truly believe that New York City is a center of all things, and I love having easy access to so many museums, libraries, parks, and neighborhoods all at once.  While I live in the Bronx, my weekend travels often bring me to SoHo and Greenwich Village to relax in Washington Square Park, do a little window shopping, or scope out my new favorite coffee shop. Speaking of coffee, I would not be here without it.  I am a firm believer that coffee is its own food group, and the quickest way to my heart is a La Colombe latte.

When I’m not in the city, I’m home in New Jersey spending time with my family.  We are avid hockey fans (Let’s go Devils!) and love attending games together. My siblings and I all played different sports growing up, which perhaps explains my minor competitive streak (that or the fact that I’m the middle child). We also have an adorable West Highland terrier, Bella, who is the true favorite child, whether my parents will admit it or not.

While I often feel like I am running from one activity to the next, I love to make time to slow down, light some candles, and curl up with a good book.  I am constantly looking for new places to read and hope to explore some new libraries this semester.  My favorite thing about books is the fact that they allow you to learn about different cultures, lifestyles, time periods, and even worlds that you might not otherwise be able to.  While I’m a sucker for classics, I love the increasing levels of diversity in modern publishing. I hope to see this trend continue and am interested to watch how the industry changes.

I can’t wait to explore all facets of publishing at Beaufort this semester and am looking forward to sharing my experiences with you!

Until next time, 

Charlotte Beaurontё

This is a shared blog post for Beaufort Books and Spencer Hill Press.