Category: Campus Life

By Erin Rebello

It’s that time of year again where many grade 12 students are planning (and perhaps also panicking) about choosing a post-secondary institution to attend after high-school. As an almost-adult, you’re making a major decision that affects the trajectory of your life for at least the foreseeable future, so the pressure is definitely on. Whether you’re planning on going to university, college, or trade-school, choosing a post-secondary institution is a huge responsibility and can seem extremely daunting. Although there are many things you can do to prepare, I would say that the best thing you can do is research the institution! Below are a few reasons why research is so crucial to making the right choice.

Ensuring the Program is Right for You

The first reason you should research your schools of choice is to ensure that the programs which you’re applying to are right for you. There are many aspects of a program to look at when considering whether it’s a fit for you or not, including:

• Does it give you the level of education you desire? (e.g. diploma, degree, etc.)
• Will this program help you to get the job you want in the future?
• Does the required coursework interest you? Is it beneficial to you?
• Are you eligible for this program? Do you have the necessary courses and grades?
• How long is this program? Is it worth it for you?

These are only a few of the questions you should be considering when researching a school. By asking such thoughtful questions about a post-secondary institution, you’re able to really think about whether the institution you’re planning on applying to would meet your needs. If you require help with answering any of these questions, you shouldn’t hesitate to visit the school’s website, or even get into contact with an admission counsellor or program representative.

Making Sure that the Culture of the School is What You Want

Although all institutions can be considered good choices for their own reasons, some schools are simply more specialized and thus better in certain fields than others. For example, the University of Waterloo is widely considered to offer some of the best engineering programs in Canada, due to the in-depth studies and international co-op opportunities. You should also look at details such as how social an institution is, and what the student experience is like. I highly recommend that students book an online tour with any of the universities they are interested in, as it will give them a better understanding of the educational and social culture surrounding the school.

Finances

Another major factor to research when picking universities is the cost of attending the institution. Is it affordable for your situation? Some programs are extremely expensive, and though they may seem intriguing, it might just be in your best interests to save yourself from the student debt and choose a less costly alternative. When looking at finances, be sure to also check out the financial support offered by the school, as well as any entrance scholarships or bursaries that you would be eligible for. Most schools have a page specifically for finances, and sometimes they even have a cost calculator to help you get a better understanding of the price. Even a little research can go a long way with helping with costs.

Deadlines

Finally, when choosing programs, you most certainly need to look for the deadlines of that program. Some specific ones have earlier deadlines than others. You want to make sure that you’re familiar with any important deadlines so that you don’t miss out on any of the programs that you’re interested in. You can check out the school website and even email admission staff for any further assistance.

Sources

University of Waterloo. “University of Waterloo rankings and reputation.” https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/university-of-waterloo-ranking

By Erin Rebello

FOMO is something that we have all felt at some point in time. Whether it’s missing a party, a job opportunity, or even a cool project, the fear of missing out is a real issue. Although the fear of missing out can be difficult to overcome at times, it’s important to deal with this fear early on, and prevent it from developing into something worse.

What is FOMO?

As stated earlier, FOMO stands for “fear of missing out”. FOMO occurs when you choose not to do something and feel regret later, because you feel like you’re missing out. For example, you might decide to stay home and study instead of attending a party. Although studying is helpful, you may feel as though you’re missing out on the fun that everyone else is having. This fear of missing out is also exacerbated with the widespread use of social media, where you only see the best parts of a person’s life.

What Causes FOMO?

In general, the fear of missing out can be explained by a business concept known as “opportunity cost”. Every time we make a decision, no matter how small or insignificant, we choose to follow one path, effectively destroying the other potential paths. This loss is essentially the “cost” we pay for our decision. For example, if you have ten dollars that you choose to spend instead of saving, the opportunity cost of your decision is less money in your savings account for the future. Although this is typically a business term, since we’re always making decisions, thinking about FOMO in terms of opportunity cost is a great way to conceptualize how the cost of one opportunity can cause a fear of missing out.

Who does FOMO Affect?

Essentially everyone is victim to the anxiety caused by feeling like you’re missing out. FOMO is a very real feeling, and it can happen to anyone, causing them to second-guess their feelings. Even someone who is typically very confident about their decisions can come up against the fear of missing out. FOMO is a universal experience, but we’ve only really had a concrete name for it for the past few years.

Why is FOMO Harmful?

Although the fear of missing out is a normal human emotion, it can be harmful to a person over time. If you’re constantly worrying about missing out on what others are doing, you may develop severe insecurities and anxieties. I have personally experienced a lot of FOMO when I went on a trip halfway across the world to see my family in India, last Christmas break. I missed so many Christmas experiences with my friends, including the Christmas concert, a party, and essentially all of the festivities at my school. Although I loved India, I couldn’t help but feel that I was seriously missing out, and it hurt. Although I eventually got over it and enjoyed my trip, FOMO really got into my head for a while!

How can we Prevent FOMO?

The only way to really deal with FOMO is by working to change your mentality, and perhaps looking at the situation in a different way. The fear of missing out is our brain telling us that it’s scared that we made the wrong decision. For this reason, we can prevent FOMO by working on building self-confidence in our abilities. We can also fend off FOMO by practicing gratitude and being grateful for the path we ended up choosing. Life is far too short to live in fear and regret, so we shouldn’t let something like FOMO stop us from making important decisions!

When people are growing up, they often search around for the right career path to follow. If they like to work with their hands, they might become carpenters or electricians. If they like to read and talk with others about interesting facts, they might become teachers or librarians. Sometimes, however, they might eventually work at two completely different careers, just as I have been doing. Learning to balance the demands of both is challenging, but it can also be worth the effort.

Working two jobs can be difficult, even when the jobs are similar to each other. Organizing a schedule that also includes time for personal tasks like eating and sleeping can be a challenge, and workers can easily become overtired and stressed as they move from one job to another, often in the same day. When one job is based at home, as it is for me, it can be hard to set aside time for relaxation when there is always something more that I could be doing.

For several years, I have been walking dogs for seniors, as well as doing freelance writing. In summer, one of the writing jobs turned into full-time work, but I have carried on with the dog walking as I feel an obligation to continue (and besides, I like the dogs). Having an emotional connection with the furry clients is an important factor among dog walkers, and it can be difficult to leave them behind.

My full-time job is very flexible, as I am writing and editing for a driving school, in addition to freelance writing for several other publications. Thus, I can write an article on parking brakes or the difference between freeways and highways as I am cooking my supper, and I can plan my next book review as I am trying to keep one of the dogs from eating something that could make her sick.

In some ways, the two jobs are a good contrast with each other. The dog walking ensures that I always get outdoor exercise, no matter how cold or wet the weather is, while the writing work gives me economic stability and the chance to use my mind and my love of words to discuss a variety of topics, even if I find some of the subjects uninteresting.

Yet balancing the two jobs can be difficult, especially as the dogs live quite far from me. Being organized and self-disciplined are key skills for anyone who works at more than one job. Getting up early to write, organizing my grocery shopping around the dog walking, and even working on the bus are some of the tactics that I have used.

Working at two different types of jobs can take a mental shift as I move from writing to dog walking and back. However, the process of getting to and from the dogs provides a break to help me change my focus from one to another. If you find yourself in a similar situation someday, you will need to discover your own ways of making the switch from one job to another.

Bibliography:

Auerbach, Debra. “8 Tips for Juggling Part-Time Jobs.” https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/8-tips-for-juggling-parttime-jobs.

Caldwell, Miriam. “How to Manage Working Two Jobs Without Going Crazy.” https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-manage-a-second-job-2386349.

Clark, Mike. “5 Biggest Challenges of Being a Dog Walker.” https://dogtime.com/lifestyle/21501-biggest-challenges-dog-walker.

Entrepreneur. “Tips to Keep Your Sanity While Working Two Jobs.” https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/318152.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic in March of 2020. Yet there’s a running joke in sitcoms like black-ish that the news didn’t truly sink in people’s collective mindset until two players from the National Basketball Association (NBA) tested positive for the disease, and league officials decided it was best to postpone the entire season.

While this may have inspired countless COVID-19-related memes, there’s undoubtedly a grain of truth to the scenario of how most of us learned that the coronavirus pandemic was the real deal. And while news of COVID-19 statistics flooded our screens and we realized the importance of employing health and safety measures like wearing masks when out in public, keeping our social circles small, and maintaining a six-feet or 2 metres apart from everyone else, we still managed to keep our hopes up and stay positive. Together, we laughed at those COVID-19 memes, bonded over Netflix shows, and exchanged tips on how to change backgrounds on Zoom and other online video platforms.

Fast-forward ten months later, and we’re still dealing with this virus and the number of cases seems to be getting higher than when it first started, with Canada recently breaking its record of daily cases. Can we still say that we’re all in this together?

That was the belief of Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot. Her Instagram video of her singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” along with other well-known personalities went viral at the start of the worldwide lockdown due to the pandemic, but all for the wrong reasons. Apart from the amateur singing that would have made Simon Cowell cringe, people didn’t waste any time to say how out of touch she and her friends were with what was truly going on. In the real world, people were losing their jobs and businesses were falling apart, but celebrities like her still continue to make money, all while sheltered in their multi-million-dollar homes.

Alas, she wasn’t the only one guilty of this crime. Beloved talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who also had her own share of controversy during the pandemic because of an alleged toxic work environment in her show, was heavily criticized for comparing being in isolation at her multi-million-dollar home in Beverley Hills, California as being in prison.

Film business magnate David Geffen also didn’t escape the critics’ eye when he posted a photo on social media reminding everyone to stay safe, while on his super-yacht that costs almost $600 million.

If there’s anything that COVID-19 taught us about celebrities, it’s that they are not like us, despite how they keep on insisting that they are like us.

While there is clearly a great economic disparity between the people who have a lot and the people who don’t have enough, the pandemic did bring to light that the true heroes during these challenging times aren’t those we see constantly on our TV or movie screens, but those whom we don’t see but are always there: health care workers, mail couriers, sanitation workers, supermarket cashiers, restaurant servers, and others.

And we can at least come together to agree on the fact that we need to acknowledge them more and show them our support. Throughout Canada, there have been various organizations who’ve worked together to deliver free meals to essential workers during these challenging times.

They have also inspired us to do our part, whether by donating to charity organizations or simply posting a sign on our front doors about how grateful we are for these frontline workers.

Contrary to belief, COVID-19 is not a great equalizer. If anything, the economic gaps in society have been made more obvious by the disease. Still, in some ways, it has brought us together as we continue to help each other to get through this.

SOURCES

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/31/the-coronavirus-crisis-has-exposed-the-ugly-truth-about-celebrity-culture-and-capitalism

https://www.masslive.com/opinion/2020/05/during-coronavirus-pandemic-are-we-really-all-in-this-together-letters.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/opinion/sunday/covid-workers-healthcare-fairness.html

https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/knowledge/society/Are-we-really-all-in-this-together

https://www.fastcompany.com/90575337/exact-email-templates-and-proposal-guidelines-to-request-permanent-remote-work

By Maryam Sheikh

Hey you! Yeah, I’m talking to you. You’ve made it through 3 months of online school and you should be proud of yourself. I know it hasn’t been easy…

From waking up early for Zoom classes to spending late nights on your laptop, you have been pushing yourself through an uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and scary year. I know that it’s been isolating at times, but you should know that you’ve demonstrated a lot of tenacity during these times. Over the course of the semester, I’ve been trying my best to incorporate some healthy habits that let me make the most of my school days. I’ll be sharing some of them below.

One activity I’ve been incorporating into my study routine is scheduling virtual study sessions with my friends. We hop onto Zoom calls and work independently, unmuting ourselves every once in a while to check in on and motivate each other. Occasionally, we try to reward ourselves by having a “fun” call sometime in the week to get our minds off of our schoolwork.

This idea plays an important role in staying accountable for your online work. Sometimes, it can be daunting to get started on assignments, but knowing that you have peers in the same boat can make it a little bit easier. Furthermore, if you need any help or need peer editing on your assignments, you can get it on your study calls.

Another way to stay productive is to time your study sessions! For example, I set 30 minutes for my tasks and then take a 5-7 minute break in between. This way, you effectively chunk up your time and you can also track how long it takes you to complete certain work so that your planning becomes more accurate as the semester goes on.

Screen burnout is very much a reality this term! Between attending virtual classes and completing assignments and projects online, many of us may be finding ourselves at our screens more often than not. If possible, I’d recommend finding ways to take your studying offline. For example, consider exploring different forms of notetaking such as making flashcards, creating mindmaps and drawings, or writing your notes out artistically.

When you take your breaks, try your best to participate in activities other than looking at your phone or watching TV. Instead, opt for activities that don’t require a screen. If you have pets, take some time out of your day to cuddle or play with them. If you want to unleash your inner chef, experiment with lunches and other meals during the day. Also- take care of your body! There are a bunch of home workouts that you can try. You can also just take a run around your neighbourhood to release some of your stress.

Lastly, end your days off on a positive note! After working hard for the day, remember to take some time for yourself. Try starting a gratitude journal or reflecting on the tasks you’ve accomplished throughout the day. Setting your goals for the next day can also help you have a clear idea of what to do in the morning. Remember to re-energize your body by getting a good night of sleep!

You’ve got this- you have made it this far and though the path ahead may seem long, with the support of your loved ones and a good work ethic, you’ll make it through. I believe in you!

Whether you have grown up with pets at home, or have simply always wanted to own a pet of your own, it can be tempting to get one as soon as you’re away at college and living on your own.  However, while there are many benefits to owning pets, students have a lot to consider before making the decision to bring home a fishy, feathered, or furry friend.

Pros

Pets Help Reduce Stress and Loneliness

Being away from home for the first time, being loaded down with classes and homework, and possibly needing to work part time are some of the challenges students face in college and university.  There is a lot of evidence that pet ownership can improve mental health, and help reduce feelings of stress and loneliness — all of which are issues that can affect students.  Pets provide companionship, and can give students something that loves them unconditionally, or something that they can talk to and complain about problems.

Some Pets Encourage Regular Exercise

Mostly applicable to dogs, pet ownership can encourage students to get outside and enjoy regular physical activity such as walking or running with their dog, or engaging in other physical pursuits such as ball or frisbee tossing.  Since dogs need to be walked several times a day, this makes sure that you get outside and move around at least a few times a day, too.  Spending time walking a dog is also a great way to discover your neighbourhood and enjoy your local parks, trails, and other outdoor venues.

Pets Can Be a Social Icebreaker or Help You Make Friends

Pets of any kind, whether an active cat or dog, or a quiet hamster or turtle, can help you make friends and socialize.  You will meet lots of other dog owners when you’re out for a walk, which can help you make friends in the neighbourhood.  Many cities also have regular pet events such as charity walks or pop-up markets, where you can meet other pet owners.  Having a pet is also a great social ice breaker when meeting new people, since almost everyone likes to hear about someone’s pet!

Cons

Pets Are Expensive

This might be the biggest consideration, as many students are already on a budget in order to pay for tuition, books, food, and rent or residence fees.  Any pet needs food and vet visits, and depending on the kind of pet, they will often require other items such as litter boxes, kennels or carrying cages, dishes, collars and licenses, and toys.  It’s important to look at your budget and add up the potential costs for a pet, before committing to a purchase or adoption.

Pets Need A Lot of Your Time and Attention

Students in college and university are already busy, and adding a pet to the mix can be difficult.  All pets need at least some of your time and attention regularly, whether it’s daily walks and playtime for cats and dogs, or weekly tank cleaning and water changes for fish or amphibians.  Feeding is also a daily requirement.  It’s important to consider your school and work schedule before committing to a pet, and to be willing to accommodate the right amount of pet time into your schedule.  Owning a pet while in school also means you have less flexibility to be spontaneous; you can’t stay out all night, or decide to go away for the weekend, without making a plan for the care and feeding of your animal.

You Can Still Get a Pet — With Some Thought

If you’ve read the above and still want a pet, that’s great!  Just be sure to give some thought to the best pet for your situation — living situation, financial situation, and schedule.

You might want a dog, but if you live in student residence or a building that doesn’t allow dogs, or can’t afford the food and vet bills, then right now a different pet might be a better choice, such as a hamster or some fish.  There are lots of pets big and small, furry and feathered and fishy, that you can find the perfect pet for you.

Sources:

http://gcmag.org/the-benefits-of-owning-a-pet-in-college/

https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/pets-in-college/

https://studybreaks.com/college/pets-college/

High schoolers and post-secondary students often find themselves increasingly interested in politics. It is a complex and controversial subject, but also one of profound importance. Politics can shape how one sees the world, how they interact with it, and what they do with their lives. Students greatly benefit from increased political involvement at their school. They learn more about themselves and about others around them. Perhaps most importantly, they learn how to disagree.

An ideal place to start is one’s own political views. People need to know what they believe in and stand for before they discuss and debate those ideas with others. Build a rounded and well-informed political perspective by reading and watching news from various sources, as well as researching political history and ideas. The variety in these sources is critical in order to minimize one’s own bias and to gain insight and understanding into other people’s opinions. Read into opposing viewpoints, which paves the way for a better understanding of what the other side is saying, and why. In doing so, political debates are less likely to devolve into personal attacks and arguments.

With that foundation, pursue political foundation at school. Sign up for extracurricular groups and activities related to political parties and major issues. Join a debate club or school newspaper. If these opportunities are not present, look into starting up a group or blog. Politics can be brought into classroom discussion and assignments, as well as informal conversations with classmates and friends. It is important to remember not to make these exchanges personal and to listen to what others have to say. First-person statements (“I think that…”) are far likelier to generate healthy discussion as opposed to combative statements (“you are wrong”). Everyone benefits when engaging in politics peacefully.

As this political involvement picks up, carry on those activities outside of the walls of the school. Volunteer for advocacy groups fighting for marginalized people or specific issues. Sign up to volunteer for political parties or politicians in the community who champion important causes. Reaching out to local Members of Parliament can help get one’s voice heard and increase involvement in the community. This can include activity on social media, attendance at townhalls, and encouraging friends to vote and be involved in their own way. Even if there are disagreements, this involvement can generate healthy discussion and makes it more likely that those disagreements will lead to productive action instead of pointless bickering.

Politics is complex. It can bring about great change and a sense of meaning and purpose in one’s life, just as much as it can destroy friendships and get people trapped in circular arguments and petty squabbles. In a world facing a pandemic, climate crisis, divisive political parties, and other major issues, you cannot afford to be apathetic and apolitical. By understanding your own views, engaging others, and partaking in the community, you can become politically active in a peaceful and productive manner. You will gain confidence, get an idea of what you want to do in the future, and build a better world.

Sources:

The Scholarship System. “5 Ways Students Can Get Involved in Politics (and Why They Should).” https://thescholarshipsystem.com/blog-for-students-families/5-ways-students-can-get-involved-in-politics-and-why-they-should/

Schuschu, Monikah. “A Guide to Being Politically Engaged in High School.” CollegeVine. https://blog.collegevine.com/a-guide-to-being-politically-engaged-in-high-school/

TeensHealth. “5 Ways to (Respecfully) Disagree.” https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tips-disagree.html

Writing well is a one of the most valuable skills that students can learn. This ability is important for communicating with teachers, family, employers, and others. Following specific guidelines can make the task more challenging, especially with a word count, but it is often necessary. Learning to follow these guidelines is an important skill to develop.

In school, some of your assignments might include a word or page limit. When you get your assignment back, you might find that your teacher has commented on the length or amount of repetition in your work. Learning to eliminate the extra words in what you write will help you to have greater focus and to make your points more concisely. You can also edit the paper for length and clarity, making sure that you have stayed on topic and that you have included the necessary information.

In many ways, writing for an employer can be like composing an essay for class, although the differences are sometimes greater than the similarities. Except for novelists and freelance writers, people normally have limited control over the subject matter or the length of what they are supposed to write. This can be challenging, especially for someone who becomes accustomed to one style of writing and then must adapt to another, often with a very different style and word limit.

This has also been my experience. For many years, I have been writing articles for a children’s magazine on topics ranging from beavers and polar bears to Canadian politicians to new technology. In many of these articles, my struggle is to keep the information down to three hundred words while still explaining the subject thoroughly.

Often on the same day that I write one of my school articles for young students, I might also write a piece on driving-related topics for an audience of people aged sixteen or older. With those articles, the word length is approximately one thousand, although I frequently write slightly more than the designated count.

In the school articles, my struggle is to decide what to leave out. However, with the driving articles, I often find that I have finished what I had to say when I am still just halfway to the thousand-word mark. However, I am learning to look for related points to discuss that can further explain the main idea. I just have to make sure to stay on topic.

Any extra information should support the main point. For example, an article on windshield wipers could have a section on different types of mud and dust but not about air conditioners. Just as a school essay has an introduction, supporting points, and a conclusion, these articles need structure and form. Keeping this structure in mind also helps me to stay within the word count. It can take time to search for unnecessary words or sentences, or sometimes to expand on what I already have, but the result is worth the trouble.

Learning to write for a specific word length is a useful skill. Whatever your age, you can start to develop this valuable technique.

Bibliography:

Hicks, Ryan. “Writing an Essay or Article that Has a Word Count Requirement?”
https://writingcooperative.com/writing-an-essay-or-article-that-has-a-word-count-requirement-75ab57897764

Purdue Online Writing Lab. “Choosing a Topic.”
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/research_papers/choosing_a_topic.html

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Editing and Proofreading.” https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  “Writing Concisely.” https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conciseness-handout/

It is agreed that the 2020 has not been a good year. With the continuous changes in lifestyle, school, work, and social interaction, it’s fair  to point out the negatives. When you take the time to look at what this year has given you, it may not be too bad. Even if you compare the beginning of the year up until March, to now.

PART 1

The first four months of this year seemed like it was going well. It wasn’t until March when everyone truly began to notice, accept and announce some pretty drastic updates and changes to lour lifestyles. The use of masks, gloves, sanitization, quarantine, and of course you can’t forget the loss of toilet paper!In spite of all this,, I have personally found that the pandemic has helped me grow and really allow myself to be happy. Let me explain…

When someone tells a child not to do something, it makes them only want to do that specific thing, more. Growing up, I never fully understood that, until the pandemic really hit me. . When we were told not to engage in close physical contact, minimize house guests and to stay indoors as much as possible, it made me want to only go out and see my friends and family more. It really tested my patience and how much I could bare. Yes, self-quarantine, staying indoors, wearing masks and limiting family events is sad and definitely unusual for the most part; however, it has allowed me to really focus on my physical and mental health. I have been focusing on organization, cleaning the house more often, improving my grades for school and even saving  more money, rather than spending it. Before the pandemic I was always going out with friends or family, having sleepovers, volunteering at elementary schools, commuting for an hour back and forth to school and classes – all in all, I never really took the time to sit, relax and have a quieter schedule.

Due to quarantine, especially over the summer, I’ve noticed I am a lot happier and calm now that my schedule has been reduced. I’m focusing on my needs more than others, which is a big change. I’ve noticed my mental health has really improved and I’ve been able to work on my self-love. Finally, and most importantly, I’ve been able to recognize what I have in my life and how much I love those in my life. It is true when they say you don’t realize or appreciate what you have until you lose it.  You need to accept that sometimes things just are the way they are, and it’s okay if you can’t do something extravagant about it.

PART 2

As for school, I’m a university student studying photography. Since the beginning of September, I knew it was going to be hard to complete studio work since it is all online now, as I tend to participate in a lot of hands-on classes and photoshoots. What I’ve noticed though since being back at school was how much my other classes are truly worth, such as art history. I’ve been putting more effort into (what seems like) easier classes, and already, I’ve seen my overall grades improve.

Since everything is online, I’ve had trouble figuring out how to move my studio course such as photography, and drawing, into my home, but “trouble” doesn’t mean impossible. In fact, it gives me the opportunity to be more creative at home, work and study space. Of course, this was easier at the beginning of the year when I could keep my equipment in the studio and I didn’t have to worry about re-decorating my work or living space at home. That aside, online schooling has been so helpful with my daily timetable, it’s helped me with organizing my agenda for when to do homework since I’m not spending an extra hour on public transit, and it’s honestly allowed me to sleep in a little bit more!

The only things that have changed arethe lack of physical social interactions with friends, students and professors, which was scary at first. As I eased into everything, I became very grateful for the technology we have in today’s world where I can group call with friends and for classes. Other than that, things have been running smoothly in my life during thispandemic. I hope yours