2020 Future Alumni Essay Contest
The end of 2019 seemed at first glance like every other year; the catapult that would turn the page and start our lives off fresh. For so many, the year 2020 represented a “new vision” and the start of a new decade of possibilities.
I remember saying this would be the year I would finally be at my ideal body weight, save enough money to travel, get married and finally pursue my dream of becoming a chef. These goals had been written and pictured on my vision board for so many years, but 2020 was going to be “the” year I would accomplish them.
Life often has a way of adjusting our most carefully curated paths to success, but nothing compares to the impact of one singular global pandemic, which effectively challenged and changed my world forever.
The seriousness of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) became very evident as new norms created challenges. One of those early challenges I faced would involve my job. I work full time for the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and as a WIC Nutritionist and trainer, a big part of my job is interacting directly with staff and the public. With the rise of cases and social distancing orders in place, it became a necessary step to limit that interaction.
At the beginning of March, I was instructed to telecommute from home, using very limited resources. I had always wanted to work from home, but quickly realized I would have to rely on technology to explore new ways to do my job. While working from home, I was able to provide WIC services remotely through telephone certifications; I developed a training site that new employees could access from their homes to complete required trainings; I recorded several training videos for the site; I used virtual platforms, such as Skype, to conduct meetings and trainings, and in doing so, I successfully trained 2 new employees within this new format. These seven months have taught me that I can adapt to change, I am creative, and I can do more with less.
I saw the biggest impact of the pandemic on our communities and how it has affected students, businesses and families. Having to adapt to changes regarding social distancing regulations, online and hybrid learning, and requiring everyone to wear a mask, were no easy changes to make. Like so many people, I learned that a family member of mine had contracted the virus, and even though she recovered, it was an important reminder that life is precious, family is everything, and that wearing a mask and being socially distant for the time being was necessary.
In times like these when feelings of isolation and despair become pervasive, it becomes that much more important to create opportunities to connect and destress. I saw that in my own family’s experiences, as we scheduled weekly family game nights, participated in food pantry distribution sessions during the week, witnessed teachers creating YouTube videos on school content on their days off to assist students in additional learning, and finally, on my daily walks, saw the amazing effect of how limited vehicle movement provided cleaner air for more species of birds and butterflies to appear.
In all the chaos from this year, I’ve learned to not give up hope and to make the most of the time I’ve been given. It would be incredibly easy to accept that this year is just a “wash,” and things that I hoped to achieve were next year’s agenda but the silver lining for me has been the leap I took when the opportunity presented itself to pursue a degree at Trident Technical College.
I recently became a TTC student and enrolled in two classes in the Culinary of Arts certificate program for the Fall 2020 semesters. At the time of my application, it had been seven years since I last stepped into a classroom or applied for financial aid. I was nervous and anxious to even apply, but I’m so happy I did.
I was comfortable at my job and was beginning to accept the new norms around me. I saw going back to school as an endless thought, but I finally acted and will always remember the major success I achieved in the middle of a global pandemic. Yes, Covid -19 has interrupted, challenged and changed my world, but in so many ways, it also jolted me into growth and discovery. I honestly feel I’m right where I should be; excited and grateful to be on the journey.
Comments
Post a Comment