Surviving the Pandemic. The pandemic has caused any number of upheavals for so many of us. Though our face-to-face meetings were suddenly interrupted, my Oral Communication students and I were able to reestablish our rhythm rather quickly.
We were able to continue meeting online once a week for a few hours at a time and seeing their lively and engaged faces on my computer screen, albeit sometimes in tiny, pixelated squares, became a Tuesday night highlight of every week for me.
Researching material, prepping for our online classes, and connecting with my students also offered me a sense of purpose and a feeling of peace that was missing at the very beginning of the pandemic. This just goes to show that human interconnectedness happens even when we are not sharing physical space; we were still able to share our thoughts, experiences, and our voices with each other despite this pandemic.
In a series of memorable presentations, my students delivered talks to share what kind of music, art, literature, and online content they are drawing from to cope with the demands of these uncertain times. I shared many articles with my students, including Coronavirus has led to an explosion of new words–and that helps us cope and How to Be Hopeful, Even in a Pandemic as a way to offer different perspectives for them to consider. Reading about the experiences of others and the different ways the pandemic is impacting human life around the globe is an excellent way to remain connected to each other. Bonus: reading material in your target language is always great practice for language learners everywhere.
Keep safe and keep healthy.
by Leticia Medina