This past year has been so difficult for so many people globally, and it’s so easy to get bogged down in the depression of it. So I thought I’d do a small series of things and people that this lockdown-era has brought me because it’s important to be thankful for the little things.

To start, one silver lining in this chaos is I got to keep my job for another year. If you don’t know, I work as a tutor for my undergraduate university. I interviewed for the position move-in day my junior year, and have been actively working there ever since.

When the pandemic started, I came home, 1000 miles from school, and assumed that was it for the year. However, my office adapted to Zoom and suddenly I was able to tutor my students online for the rest of the spring 2020 semester.

And on Zoom we’ve stayed. Being in law school, I’m not going back to my undergraduate university and would have had to quit my job if sessions were in person. But because we are in an online world, I get to keep working with students which is what I love to do. I’ve even gotten to work the summer and winter sessions.

This year has been so hard on all students, myself included, and I’ve seen, heard, and felt the appreciation for being someone to help with those struggles. Beyond the academics, it’s about connection during a time where we don’t see people as often as we used to, and in my job, I get to be that person who helps students navigate all the issues of our current time.

So thanks to the pandemic, I got to keep my job and continue helping others with their academic journey, and for that I am grateful.