Another installment in a series in which we check in with Brandeis student-athletes about how they've handled the unique situations presented by the spring and summer of 2020.
A trio of rising senior fencers, Jess Spear '21 and Maddy Vibert '21 of the women's epee squad and Jared Sugarman '21 of the men's foil, tell us how their spring semester and summer went.
How did your classes go last semester? Did you do well with virtual learning?
JARED: My classes went well last semester despite the difficulties of virtual learning. It was definitely weird not being in a physical classroom at first but I got used to it by the time I had to finish my finals.
MADDY: My classes went really well. I don't enjoy virtual learning as much as in-person learning, but because my classes last semester were fairly easily translated to an online format, this made it easier for me to learn the material from home.
JESS: Last semester was definitely a struggle, especially adjusting to the new method of delivery for classes and being away from friends and peers. What helped the most was that all my professors were super supportive and understanding!
How did you spend your free time?
JARED: I was lucky enough to secure an online internship before the shutdown which kept me busy during the week, but when I wasn't working I would try to spend time outdoors.
MADDY: I spent my free time doing a variety of crafts like sketching or embroidery. I have also really enjoyed catching up on my favorite shows.
JESS: I spent a lot of time sewing masks for family and friends and to donate. Got to watch a lot of Netflix while doing so! I also knit and spent time with my family's dog Bean.
What's the best movie or show you saw? What's something you didn't expect to like that you did?
JARED: The best TV show I watched, which is also something I didn't expect to like, was The Umbrella Academy. You have to get through the first season then it really starts picking up.
JESS: Season 2 of The Umbrella Academy was so good!
MADDY: I watched probably way too much TV during quarantine, but the shows I've caught up on recently that I would recommend to anyone are Succession, The Shop: Uninterrupted, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
How have you kept engaged with your coaches and teammates?
JESS: We had a few Zoom calls, both formally as a team and informally as a squad.
JARED: We were lucky enough to stay connected throughout the shutdown. We had regular zoom meetings with individual squads, squad captains, coaches, and the full team. In addition to the zoom calls, we kept in contact through multiple group chats and other social media.
MADDY: With 30+ people on my team and many different time zones, it was hard for all of us to all get together regularly. I caught up over zoom with smaller groups of my teammates and regularly checked in with them in our group chat. I am fortunate to be on such a great team, and I can't wait to see all of them soon!
How have you kept in shape for your sport?
JARED: We had a workout challenge that helped motivate me and I set up a gym in my basement right when quarantine began so I was able to work out when my normal gym was closed.
MADDY: I am from Las Vegas and it gets extremely hot in the summer, so I was mostly confined to workouts in my house with limited equipment. I worked with what I had and even built my own target from things I found in my house in order to keep up with my blade work.
JESS: For the first two months, I spent a lot of time biking around my town. Unfortunately, once cars started returning to the streets, I had to put that on pause. After that, I hiked a bunch and did exercises when on walks with Bean.
What's the first thing you want to do when you get back onto campus?
JARED: The first thing I want to do when I get back to campus is to see my friends and get back in the fencing room!
MADDY: I am most excited to see all my teammates again!
JESS: Once our COVID tests come back negative, I look forward to giving my suitemates and close friends lots and lots of hugs!