Photo: Octavio Jones

COVID-19 for many has been a wake-up call that life is fleeting and inherently risky, encouraging people to launch businesses aligned with their passions.

In response, colleges and universities are launching or expanding entrepreneurship programs, which they see as a way of increasing enrollment and attracting more diverse students.

“No one said college was easy, especially living in a pandemic where hugs are a weapon and a mask is the difference between life and death."

The entry is part of a new book from first-year students at Oregon State University–Cascades on their experiences as college students during a global pandemic. The contributions, part of a class assignment, offer poignant, witty, and insightful takes on an unusual learning experience.