By: Rebecca Capozzi | Staff Writer and Treasurer
COVID-19 has changed our lives in the most unexpected ways. As much as getting used to our new lifestyle has been difficult, it is something that we have learned to live with. For some of us, it was relatively easy to get used to these changes. For others, it was difficult and still continues to be. Some of the individuals most impacted by this are the ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These individuals thrive on interaction with others, and that has been consistently difficult during the pandemic. It is important that they try to maintain as much normalcy as possible, which is what Best Buddies is determined to do.
Salve’s chapter of Best Buddies has been holding its meetings on Zoom since the beginning of this school year. Typically, the in-person meetings are held on the first floor of the Young Building. The room is always so lively. There is normally music playing, people talking, and plenty of snacks. The remote meetings, on the other hand, are quite different from the chapter’s in-person meetings, although they do try to make them as similar to the in-person meetings as possible.
“We have added a Scavenger Hunt, Paint Nights, and have also made use of breakout rooms to mimic those quieter moments members might share at a table in person,” said Michael Rosati, class of 2021 and President of Salve Best Buddies.
“It is important that the buddies know that their friendships are still just as important as they were pre-pandemic.”
There are several challenges when it comes to holding meetings remotely instead of in-person. Unfortunately, many buddies have decided to not attend remote meetings. It can be difficult for some buddies to comfortably communicate with others through a Zoom call.
“It is much easier to make accommodations in-person for our buddies,” Rosati said. “Whether it be a quiet room one-on-one or the ability to communicate non-verbally, all of this is extremely difficult on Zoom.”
Although remote meetings are a good substitute for the time being, nothing is more beneficial than having in-person meetings. In times like these, however, it is most important to make the most of the situation and to look at the bright side of things. This is exactly what Bryanna Rawnsley, class of 2023 and next year’s secretary for the chapter, has been doing.
“I would love to be in person rather than online because it’s easier to build friendships that way,” Rawnsley said. “But I don’t dread being online because I still get opportunities to bond with the buddies.” It is important that the buddies know that their friendships are still just as important as they were pre-pandemic. The buddies should never feel like they are going through any of this alone.
Rosati shared that although it has been a very difficult transition from in-person meetings to remote meetings, the feedback has been positive from students and participating buddies. He said that he felt defeated at first, since the meetings were chaotic and awkward, but everyone slowly started warming up to it and it has since been a success.
William Buckley, one of the buddies who has been part of Salve’s chapter ever since it first began, feels that the Zoom meetings have been a success. “It’s just too bad that Best Buddies could not be in-person, which I’m so used to,” Buckley said. “But the Zoom is working really well so far.”
He also said that going to the Zoom meetings makes him just as happy as the in-person meetings. “It does make me happy to see people’s faces. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said, “but I think it’s going well.”
Although there are not any set plans for next year, since the future simply cannot be predicted, it would be ideal for the Best Buddies meetings to be back in-person. Rawnsley is hoping that this will bring many of the buddies, including her own, back to the meetings. “It makes my day to see them,” she said. Without a doubt, it makes the buddies’ days just as much as it makes the students’ days.
Best Buddies is so special to everyone who is involved. Buckley could write a whole novel with all of the reasons that he thinks people should join Best Buddies. “I think people should join Best Buddies because it is a great one-on-one friendship with the students,” he said. “You know, years from now, you can look back at your college years, look at Best Buddies, and just enjoy being with everyone.”
This success of Salve’s Best Buddies during the pandemic is one to admire. It would have been so easy for the e-board to give up and wait until meetings could resume in-person. But they knew that this club was more important now than ever before. In a time when people are feeling the loneliest, Salve Best Buddies has made it a point for both students and buddies to know that this is not the case and that everyone is in this together. This is a prime example of how people can be closer than ever, while also being so far apart.
