Slow down! Are you sure it’s already May?
The end of the semester has certainly caught me by surprise. I think there should be congratulations in order. So, congratulations! We have made it through the Zoom lectures, the awkward online presentations, and taxing at-home exams. Of course, there were levels of extreme uncertainty and anxiety when we found out we would not get to finish out the semester in the way we hoped, but nevertheless, we found a little comfort in creating some sort of routine like the one we left behind. But now the greatest challenge comes: What happens post-Zoom era? What happens now that the semester is done?
For me (and I know I am not the only one), this summer was going to be the unforgettable, Instagrammable, tell-all summer. A whole 3 months filled with nothing but opportunities! The opportunity to travel, to research, and see my extended family. Then, suddenly, it all came crashing down. I know firsthand that summer is an entirely different ballgame. It’s time to start rethinking because the #PerfectSummer is looking very different for a lot of us. I have been doing a lot of thinking about what I can do to compensate and answer the very question: What do I do now?
There is no perfect answer but I hope you at least find some peace in this. I came across an InstagramTV post by Tauren Wells (an absolute FAVORITE of mine) titled “What are we going to do?”. It was SO good and exactly what I needed to hear at this moment. All I’ve been doing since coming home is wondering why something like this would happen. Do we deserve this? How do we navigate?
Hear this: some circumstances in life are not chosen BY us but are chosen FOR us. Of course, no one saw this pandemic coming and it is hard to find some good in something that has completely changed the way we live. This period of isolation may not be what we desire, but maybe it is time we gain some perspective! Communities are coming together in ways I thought were unimaginable. The compassion and empathy being built are unlike anything I've ever seen. Slowly, humanity is being restored. Maybe it is time to look at what quarantine is doing for us rather than all the things it is taking away. That is definitely something we can do now.
Think about this: so many AMAZING things come from periods of isolation. Before a butterfly can flourish in the way it does, there is a period of isolation, the cocoon period if you will. This is our period of isolation, and only WE can decide whether we treat it like a cocoon period or not.
What do we do now? Like I said before, it's all about perspective. How are you going to thrive in isolation? In uncertainty? Today, I am planning a summer that will bring me just the right amount of joy and growth. Take that affordable online class, work on that resume, do the room makeover you’ve been putting off, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF (mentally and physically), spend some time with your family, call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, read, craft a workout routine and get inspired! Time to take our next step and as always, I’m right beside you figuring it out as well. :)
Karen <3
