I pay closer attention to other's behavior as I am grocery shopping. I order carry-out to keep local food establishments open. I have avoided gathering with more my family or coworkers. I stay a safe distance when speaking with coworkers. I have been limited to attend my child's outdoor athletic competitions. Parent meetings to support school activities have been forced to be virtual. I visit with family through face time, in order to physically see them. I continue to be apprehensive about working outside the home as well as my child attending school.

(About handling uncertainty:) Pay attention, take the info as reminders to help keep myself and others healthy.  

Same as my day-to-day stress. Find moments to clear my thoughts of what is causing the stress. Enjoy the moment I am in as much as possible.

Respect that others in my household need the same space and time to clear their thoughts of stressors. I should exercise, but do not do it regularly....just when the weather is great for a walk.

(About effects of the pandemic:)  Just had to rethink how I communicate with coworkers, families and students. Have made many of the "in-person" activities to virtual if appropriate.

I have a home office crammed into a corner of a room. During the beginning of this pandemic I had a folding table for a desk. During a ZOOM session with staff, the whole table went crashing to the floor.....made for a great laughter relief. I then proceeded to find a sturdier piece of furniture for a desk. I did purchase an additional monitor, keyboard and printer in order to continue work at home more comfortably. I must admit I find myself stepping away more often, to give my back and eyes a break.  Dual monitors, pay attention to lighting and I have also paid close attention to camera view of the stuff in the background. I would like to eventually add a headset, to block out some "home noise" during online teaching and virtual work.

I have no issues with the ZOOM sessions or video conferencing. I had my virtual adjustment when I began teaching online courses only three years ago.

At the beginning of each virtual session I take time to check in with them, how are they doing......what has happened with their teaching students virtually or hybrid.......share anything I have heard or learned about the situation we are currently in as educators. I also remind them before we end our session, to take care of their health and safety also. I also put a reminder in the Moodle Shell each week. Step away from computer, set time parameters to answer student questions, find humor in the situation, and do something you like EVERYDAY!

(About how to engage colleagues:)  Find humor in the situation, be understanding of them; I really do not know exactly what they are dealing with when they leave the workplace. Try to bring in some type of comfort (food) every couple of weeks. I encourage them do something they when they leave the workplace.....leave it here!

(About helpful new technologies:)  Learning more of the ZOOM options for teaching and conferences

I do not really have any superpowers......I just attempt to take information, process it with an educated viewpoint, and do what I can do. It is what it is. Then find humor whenever possible. I do think you feel better when you have cute and trendy masks to wear......makes others smile. Or at least you think they are smiling, but you cannot see their mouth! :)

I think we may see many employment settings become more virtual. I also think the educational setting may be meeting a need, with virtual courses for students, that we would have not previously considered. Not every kid is made for the "classroom in-person" setting, but they may thrive in a virtual setting.

It took a pandemic to change the mind-set of educators; we found a way to continue education for students even though we could not be in person. Don't get me wrong...."I do, I learn" is still a motto to have as an educator for the learning of students........but the "do" part is different in the virtual setting and learning still occurs.

We will come out of this pandemic as well-adjusted educators; working to find ways of meeting students' needs.

Dr. Lorri M. Boydston works as an Adjunct Faculty, at Baker University.  Her email is lakelife84@gmail.com.