Life In the Time Of Covid

Like clockwork, as each new year springs upon us with hope and optimism, you can’t help but look back and reflect on the past 365 days and how you can make the next ones better. It’s somewhat surreal to think about where we were a year ago. Because 365 days ago the biggest headlines were that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to step back as royals, tensions between the US and Iran were escalating, the Astros were under investigation for sign-stealing, and LSU finished their perfect season to win the College Football National Championship. But… that feels like eons ago. At that point, Covid-19 was just a thing we were starting to hear about on the news. As far as we knew, it hadn’t even reached the U.S.

Fast forward to Spring Break.

“I remember being super excited for spring break as I walked out the high school on March 6th; I had no idea at the time, that no one would return to school for the remainder of the year.” ~Megan Boyd ’06, North Forney High School Lead Counselor

Before we knew it, businesses shut down, schools closed, and hospitals were overwhelmed. It was all supposed to temporary. Two weeks, maybe three, of self-isolation for those deemed non-essential workers to help flatten the curve and fight this thing.

We all learned what Zoom was, and those of us with kids gained a whole new appreciation for teachers.

Boyd explained, “[Zoom] would be the only way to communicate with coworkers, seniors trying to ensure they were on track to graduate, and parents concerned that their students were really struggling with this whole virtual learning thing. As educators, we had to navigate a world that was so different than anything we had done before. Most educators thrive on building relationships with students, with the everyday face to face contact and interactions – now that was gone! It was a time to get innovative, and it was a time to support students and in my case their mental health. Virtual learning was isolating for many, so we had to get creative on ways to keep in touch with our students, to find ways to ‘be there’ when we couldn’t physically be there.”

Patricia Aburime ’06, M.Ed., M.A. is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and has also seen a significant impact on the mental health industry from COVID-19, spurring a massive shift to online platforms. “When people think of a counseling session, they tend to think of sitting on a comfy couch across from their counselor in a quiet office. COVID-19 completely changed that notion. Clinicians in many sectors shifted to video sessions during the initial shut-down period, myself included, in order to continue to provide mental health services for clients with safety in mind.” In some ways, this shift has created a positive opportunity. Aburime went on to explain, “The uptick in telehealth usage has made counseling more accessible to people who may have considered counseling but did not pursue it due to schedule conflicts or uncertainty. Moreover, telehealth has been essential for me and many other clinicians in order to maintain therapeutic work with clients while staying safe.”

Regardless of how your day to day life has personally been altered or how many loved ones have been hit hard with the virus, there’s no arguing COVID-19 has created a societal situation that our generation has never before experienced.

“There will be an increase in the need for mental health services for years to come.” Aburime went on, “Several of my adolescent and young adult clients struggle with the uncertainty of returning to school/college, the lack of structure since March, and sense of ‘lack of control’ in their environments. Parents and families are stressed as they adapt to a new normal. Nearly all of my adult clients are managing with some form of frustration, guilt, grief, or fear related to COVID-19. Clients who are healthcare providers and essential workers will have a lot of trauma to process when the pandemic slows. There are studies that now suggest COVID-19 effects brain functioning. For many years to come there will be much to learn as these effects impact psychological functioning. There is much work to be done in this industry.”

But it’s not all gloom and doom. As we’ve seen time and time again, with any great struggle humanity also brings forth its best. From birthday drive-by parades and delivering groceries to neighbors in need of help, to symphonies of thanks during healthcare workers’ shift changes, the pandemic has allowed many of us to slow down and remember the things that are most important. We’ve tried our hand at new recipes, adopted all the dogs in need of a home, started sitting down for proper family meals, re-discovered the outdoors, and cherished every hug we’ve been able to give.

"When I look back on this past year, I'm certain I'll feel extreme gratitude for all of the time I had at home with my husband and kids. But if I'm honest, this perspective didn't come easy," says Antoinette Rosenberg '06, Founder of Gather'd Market. "I was in the middle of starting a business when schools closed, and like many other women around the world, my career had to take a backseat once our childcare options were no longer available. Since then, we've tried to make the best of this crisis. I've watched my two kids become such good little friends. Our family has new rhythms around dinner time and caring for the home we never leave. My husband and I had to take over the role of teacher, so preschool activities and other important life lessons are deeply integrated into our everyday schedule. The never ending baking and art projects means that life is a literal mess most of the time, but it all feels so purposeful. My son keeps asking when the "germs" will go away, so I know he's as eager as I am for all of this to end. And when it does, I hope our little family remembers how we learned to find the good in a hard season of life."

Education has seen some wins as well. “I really think COVID opened doors for conversations that had never been had before,” Boyd explained. “Weekly check-ins worked so well with students, we then started doing that with teachers, because lots of educators were struggling. It was hard to end the year without getting to say goodbye to students, the demand to move everything to a virtual platform and quickly. It really caused lots of stress and anxiety on educators. We did a lot of virtual group counseling sessions and it was awesome for teachers to see they weren’t in this alone.”

“Now almost a year later, it is interesting to see how COVID has really shifted education as a whole. Educators have really stepped up to the plate and have really worked tirelessly to ensure that all students, whether face to face or virtual, are getting quality instruction and that both types of learners are equitably learning. I have never been more proud to be an educator in my whole career!”

And then there are the healthcare workers and first responders. Our most celebrated heroes in this pandemic-ridden world. The people on the front lines, trying to save every life they can while day after day seeing the worst of what this virus can do.

“I’m extremely thankful to our healthcare partners here at Laredo Medical Center, to our first responders in Laredo Fire Department and Laredo Police Department and to all the other essential workers that have kept our city going through this pandemic. I am a believer that those who serve in healthcare do so to serve a calling, and in a time like this I’m so proud to stand next to all of my colleagues at Laredo Medical Center and across the state who have answered the call and have stepped to bravely serve our patients when they need us the most. One day we are going to look back and say ‘I was there and I was part of it and worst of all I didn’t have any toilet paper.’ While I hope the worst is past us, we need to continue to prepare for whatever comes next and rest assured that those of us in healthcare will continue to fight the good fight.” ~Jorge “Neto” Leal ’06, CEO of Laredo Medical Center.

So, what’s next? None of us really know, but I can promise you I’ll never take for granted giving a hug or seeing smiles ever again.

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We cannot express our thanks enough to our ’06 classmates who are serving in healthcare, education, parenting, and other essential capacities. You have been a light of hope during a year filled with so much struggle. You are what has kept things going when the world seemed to stop. And you are now, and forever, our heroes.

Special thanks for Patricia (Ofili) Aburime ’06, Jorge “Neto” Leal ’06, Antoinette (Rodriguez) Rosenberg '06, and Megan (Schmidt) Boyd ’06 for contributing to the creation of this article.

Additional Note from Patricia Aburime:
I just want to encourage anyone who is struggling to cope with changes due to the pandemic to seek out emotional and social support. Safely engage in self-care and the activities that bring you joy. If more support is needed, seek out a trained mental health professional in your area.