Alumni Voices: How Best to #ThriveTogether During a "Dark Winter”

Author(s): Sharmen Hettipola (2008 Young Scholar; 2013 College Scholar, Bucknell University; 2018 Graduate Scholar, University of Oxford); Chelsea Hipwell (2009 Young Scholar; 2014 College Scholar, Lehigh University)

As we approach what President-Elect Biden has termed a “dark winter,” the Alumni Engagement Council have put together some ideas to survive and thrive at the end of 2020.

Reconnecting with Alumni: I'm guilty of the awkward exchanges of mere formalities when running into a fellow scholar in the streets of DC and the empty promises to keep in touch after Scholar’s Weekend. Covid-19, however, has forced me and this whole world to slow down -- and I've taken the opportunity to reconnect with some of my fellow alumni. With video technology taking on a new cultural significance, I encourage you to reach out to alums in your area, alums who are working in your current career field or an industry you’re interested in, and those who share your interests  - the list goes on! You could even start a virtual book club to shelter from the cold! Here is a list of other ways to reconnect. 

Covid-19 Resources: Covid-19 has forced countless of individuals and families into financial hardship. For the many Cookies that were looking forward to heading back to school in the new year, the decision can now become a difficult one with the unanticipated financial burdens.  A quick Google search for Covid-19 scholarships yields a variety of Covid-19 resource guides for students looking to pursue graduate education who may have lost the financial means of doing so. These resource guides often include financial tips beyond graduate school, so even if you aren’t looking to go back to school, they are worth checking out. Here is one of those resource guides. 

Participating in the Holiday Season: Celebrating the holidays will look a little different this year because of the pandemic, but that shouldn’t stop us from celebrating! For folks who are working, take some time off, even if you can’t travel anywhere, just for yourself! It’s been a long year. For folks that are unable to see loved ones and other Cookies, participate in gift exchanges, snail mail style. Even though it’ll be cold in some parts in the U.S., outdoor holiday markets and holiday light festivals are still open and may be worth bundling up for. If you prefer to be warm, download your favorite holiday album and check out the drive-through winter lights festivals, available in almost any major U.S. city.