What 2020 Taught Me

So, I know I am not alone in saying that 2020 was not at all what I thought it would be. Besides the constant ups and downs, I was able to learn a lot about myself and feel that I am walking into 2021 a much stronger person.

School

This year I had to finish my spring semester of Sophomore year online, and complete the fall semester of my Junior year online. I was extremely nervous going into online school. How would I keep up with school? What about the friends I had made? Would my college experience be ruined? These questions terrified me. However, I was determined to get the best experience I could and try to enjoy college as much as possible.

I took my classes and school work one day at a time and made sure to stay as organized as possible. When my workload become particularly heavy, I would make lists of what was due which helped me gain a bigger picture and understand what my priorities needed to be. I texted my school friends as frequently as possible which helped me feel connected to my college experience.

While online school may be very different from the college experience I was expecting back in 2018, I’ve learned to make the best of it and take advantage of every benefit I could think of, such as taking a summer course! While I miss being at school, I am excited for next semester, even though it will also be virtual.

Health

In the midst of a pandemic, my overall health has been extremely important to me. From making yoga a daily habit to trying out meditating, I have really learned to focus on my mental health. In a time when mental health was put to the test, I have found new ways to take care of myself and try to stay positive. As we enter 2021, I really hope I will continue to put my mental health first.

Since the summer I have been very focused on my physical health as well (which is the reason for my 6 month hiatus). I decided to get a surgery that I needed and had put off for years. I was really scared to go through with the surgery, but if 2020 has taught me anything it’s that life is unpredictable and you should do everything in your power to live your life to the fullest. While doing this was very difficult for me (I have major anxiety over doctor visits), I was determined to accomplish this. Thanks to the surgery I feel that I have gained so much confidence and I am honestly beyond proud of myself for going through with it!

Career

Yes, I am still in college, but I have set high goals for myself when it comes to my career post-college. In January I got my dream internship with Tommy Hilfiger, and I cannot begin to explain how happy I was. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the program was cancelled. Needless to say, that while I completely understand why that decision had to be made, I was really sad. As I’ve mentioned in an earlier blog post, I moved forward and became determined to still have a productive summer break.

Over the fall semester, I chose to focus on school and recovery from my surgery and did not hold an internship. While this was really hard for me, I was able to enjoy my semester to its fullest, recover at my own pace, and better understand what I want in the future. I am very excited to share that in January, I will be starting a virtual internship at NBCUniversal, and I can’t wait to bring you all along on that journey!

Moving Forward

2020 has been rough to say the very least, but I feel that I have learned a lot, and I am (cautiously) optimistic for 2021. While life is not at all how I thought it would be, I am very grateful for the time I was given. I spent almost a full year at home with my family, which I’ve loved and feel very lucky to have. I hope that in the next year, I continue being able to spend more time with my family! I am eager for my next semester to start, between a really exciting course schedule and an incredible internship opportunity, I think 2021 will be full of opportunities to continue to learn and grow.

Now, I have grown weary of New Year’s Resolutions. I feel like they never last and by June, I have completely forgotten what they were. Instead, I feel like setting reasonable goals for myself (which you can do whenever), is a better, long-term option. While I won’t bore you with the many goals I have for 2021, I’ll share my main goal: focus on the present. I have always been someone who worried about the future 24/7. I could never enjoy a milestone or accomplishment because I was always focused on the next step. This constant concern over the future has been a major factor in my anxiety, and contributes a lot to my overthinking. However, this year has shown me that the best way to live, is to take everything day by day and not stress over the future too much. While I am not 100% sure how to go about doing this, I am determined to learn how to live in the moment.