A YEAR IN RE-VIEW

BY MAEGAN CARRASQUILLO, STAFF WRITER

For many this past year has been unlike any before with one extreme after another. Although, when you think about it, we’ve also witnessed and experienced many positive outcomes as well. Looking at these five areas, it’s evident that some changes were more a happy surprise than they were terrible.

Environment

With less human intrusion it seemed that wildlife thrived. People in 337 Chinese cities benefited from better air quality and those in northern India could view the Himalaya Mountains for the first time in 30 years. Animals came inland in droves, with more turtles hatching on beaches and curious wildlife in towns almost wondering where we went. We in turn noticed more nature, because we were home to see and hear it.

Innovation

It’s amazing what changes can occur when there’s no other option. We saw many businesses rapidly switch to online or curbside services, partly to stay afloat but mostly to continue serving the people they’ve come to know and love. And while Amazon had us covered, many rallied in their communities to place phone or online orders to support local retailers. Deciding what’s for dinner became the new chore, but many restaurants now offer curbside pickup or delivery, like Takeout Tuesday was always a thing!

Education

If anything has changed, it’s schooling. While many struggled with this switch, tons of educators stepped up their game to find virtual and creative ways to connect with their students. Still, some families got organized quickly, finding a household rhythm that worked and an enjoyment in being involved in their child’s day.

Work Environment

Being at home instead of an office, in some cases, felt like those four walls were closing in, but in some cases eating lunch with family and a less stringent dress code were welcome. We gained a new level of appreciation for the essential workers who remained in the field, and the many healthcare professionals who literally couldn’t go home.

Quality of Life

When things change in so many ways, and especially so quickly, it can be scary, causing people to re-examine priorities. We’re back to spending more time with family and loved ones, connecting with nature, and focusing on home. People have taken up hobbies, learned new languages or skills they’ve always wanted to thanks to a new platform of sharing knowledge through social media, apps, or online services.

These are just a few glimmers of light we’ve seen in the past year. Think about which is most important to you, or others you may have noticed. I ended this list with priorities on purpose. If we want to hold on to these silver linings, while wanting to rush back to business as usual, we have to find ways to do so without losing what we’ve gained in the process.