This letter was submitted by Julie Walters.

This past year has been a time of loss for many people. In addition to losing loved ones, life has unexpectedly changed.

Some people are considered essential workers, while others have lost jobs or had to learn to work remotely.

Many people have been isolated with little to no human interaction. Instead of bringing us together, the pandemic has separated many of us by our beliefs.

For high school graduates of 2020, graduation ceremonies, athletic events and extracurricular events have been canceled or become virtual gatherings.

For many first-year college students, in-person learning has been replaced by remote learning or hybrid courses and sporting events and student activities have been canceled or have become remote. The typical first year experience for college students has been drastically altered.

I cannot help but to wonder what kind of precedence has been set in place for students that prefer remote learning.

In both higher education and the k-12 setting, how will students feel about going back to in-person learning? How does this impact mental health?

What I have learned from this past year is that we need to get back to a more simplistic time and spend more quality time with family and friends.

We can only make the best of a difficult situation. Take time for self-care, for both physical and emotional well-being. We do not know what stressors others are experiencing, so please be kind. A smile and a simple hello can make a world of difference to someone.

Julie Walters can be reached at jwalters@eiu.edu.