A Sucker Punch for Plans
For many young adults based out of Reno, with plans to move around and find themselves, their career tracks and new horizons, such as Owen Schenk, COVID-19 has been a sucker punch.
For a third year in a row, Schenk, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Nevada, Reno, had been an intern for The National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, but this Spring that experience came to a sudden halt.
“My housemates went back to their hometowns after the NASA center moved to a mandatory telework status,” he explained. “I was there alone for a couple of weeks and made the difficult decisions to fly to Reno to be with family, though it was not a decision I took lightly.”
He’s now working from home with his parents, with just a few weeks to go. “I am grateful I can still work full time. It has been tough adjusting to COVID, the biggest struggle has been with isolation,” he said.
Although he feels lucky to currently have his job, COVID-19 has him worried about his future and restarting again in Reno.
Out of Luck, Out of Work, Out of His Belongings
Many of the other prestigious internships Schenk was gunning for over the summer have been canceled.
“I believe I will be unable to find a new job over the summer. I expect to be unemployed until fall,” he said.
A veteran of the Reno service industry, Schenk has also spent past summers as a valet for local casinos and businesses. Even with his past experience, he says, it is unlikely though he’ll be able to find a new position.
He’s also dealing with logistical challenges. At the time of our interview, most everything he owned was still stuck in Alabama. He initially came back to Reno for what he thought would just be a couple of weeks. Flights back to Alabama to bring his things back to Reno, including his car, keep getting canceled.
With his internship officially over on May 8th, he’s unsure when he’ll be able to go retrieve his belongings. After two canceled flights, Shenk wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into three.
“The next soonest flight isn’t until May 2nd. Hopefully, that one doesn’t get canceled, all if my stuff is out there and I’ll have to bring it back here eventually,” he said.
No Flights, and Still Paying Rent
Schenk also still needs to pay rent.
“One of the more difficult payments to make is for the rent on the house I was living at in Alabama. I still pay the full rent since my belongings are still there and the owner of the house is unemployed due to COVID. I would like to help him out a bit.”
Schenk has always planned for the future. Interning as often as possible to gain relevant experience to help him later in his career. But internships aren’t the only thing that Schenk has lost out on.
“The stocks I had before the pandemic hit have tanked. If COVID-19 lasts for too long I could be in an even tougher spot, and I can only imagine what many others are going through.”