Sephora Leon, HiLi 2019 – 2020

I recall the moment the coronavirus went viral: I was sitting on my bed in my “chambre de bonne,” surrounded by Carrefour bags filled with life’s necessities (with the exception of pasta and toilet paper, the two hottest commodities in the Spring of 2020). Upon realizing that my 12 square–meter space could barely accommodate my groceries, I decided it was time to fly home to New York where I could have some breathing room – well, to the extent masks would permit. Although I was the only HiLi student to leave France during the pandemic, I remained in contact with my friends and classmates via our Zoom courses and our WhatsApp group, which featured an abundance of inside jokes. In retrospect, I have no regrets about my decision to spend the first confinement period in the U.S., aside from having to wake up at 3AM each week due to the time difference to connect to my EHESS course.

Overall, it was a productive summer, spent completing online classes, finishing my thesis, and applying to jobs in Paris. I was fortunate enough to be offered a position as an English language assistant at the École Alsacienne for the 2020 – 2021 academic year, thanks to Columbia and Christine Valero’s emails informing HiLi students about job opportunities.

Since returning to Paris in September 2020, I have found myself very occupied with my work and law school applications, cherishing the fact that I live, work, and study (at Reid Hall) all within a two-block radius – a fortunate coincidence considering the current Covid distance restrictions. I can honestly say that, despite the coronavirus chaos, my experiences in Paris this past couple of years has proven to be the “HiLight” of my life.