The year of 2020 was a difficult year for everyone in so many ways. The world adjusted to new life during a pandemic and we all had to find ways to adjust with it. I was no exception to daily routines being different than expected. I left college in the middle of a semester, spent an entire summer working during the pandemic, took a semester off and took online classes at home while continuing to work, completed an entirely remote internship, and more. It was really easy for me to see everything wrong or disappointing with how the majority of my year went. However, going into 2021 I looked back on all the unexpected and hopeful things that happened. I have decided to look at last year with an entirely different lens than I lived it with. This is just a few of the things I am grateful for from the year 2020.
My Hometown
I am from the coast of Maine, and anyone who has met me will tell you that I absolutely love it there. Being home for an extended period of time provided me an opportunity to spend more time doing the things I love. I took many walks to the beach right by my house, went swimming in the quarry down the road, and took boat rides to the island across the bay in my brother’s boat. Fall in Maine is one of my favorite things, but normally I am on campus and am not able to enjoy it. This year I was able to relive some of my fall traditions with my family and remember why I love the season.
Online Shopping
I am no stranger to online shopping in general, but in recent years I have tried to cut down how much I shop from large corporations. I rarely shop from Amazon because the guilt eats away at me, but 2020 created a need for it. It was so nice to be able to get whatever I needed online delivered to my door. From either small business Etsy shops or even Amazon, being COVID safe is important to me, and in the year 2020 I was grateful that technology brought me comfort and safety.
My Pets
What college student doesn’t miss their pets while they are at school? Being home all day, every day was eased by the fact that constant fur baby cuddles were available. My cat had kittens literally two weeks before quarantine bgan and so I had the opportunity to raise some pandemic cuties. One of them even followed me to college this semester. In addition, my family decided that since we were spending so much time at home, we needed a puppy. Oh, and we also needed chickens. So between 6 chickens, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 6 kittens, my days were filled with cuteness and quality time with animals.
Meeting New People
I normally work every summer while I am home and I decided to continue that even during the pandemic. I worked at my local grocery store from May through December and although working full time while taking classes was difficult, there were some things I really enjoyed about it. I met some amazing coworkers who were also just doing their best during a pandemic. Being an essential worker during a pandemic is not easy and I hold great respect for the people that do it. However, even on the toughest days the people I work with managed to put smiles on each other’s faces and it was nice to feel a little normal in such an unprecedented time.
Headphones
This one might seem a little mundane, but I assure it was necessary in my house. Both of my parents are teachers, and my brother is a senior in high school. So needless to say that when school went remote for all of us in March, Zoom dominated our house all day long. Trying to focus was no small feat. Luckily we all invested in some nice headphones and life was made slightly easier. I personally love BeatsX. I would highly recommend them if you are looking for something comfortable yet functional for both working and exercising.
2020 was not easy for me. I don’t think it was easy for anyone. However, I feel lucky with the place I was able to spend my time, the people I was able to spend it with, and the place I am now. Being back on campus and in a new year has given me the opportunity to look back and just try and move on. I am grateful for the good things it gave and try not to dwell on the bad things. I hope that 2021 is easier for myself and everyone else.
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