As the University of California, Irvine (UCI) settles into its new remote environment, the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning (OVPTL) wishes to highlight some of the student Anteaters who are finding ways to not only survive but thrive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In this series, we introduce some of the UCI students who are finding success during this unprecedented time.
When first-year business administration major Grace Till learned that UCI was transitioning to a fully-remote environment, she didn’t have much time to process the change. With the freshman dorms shutting down due to health and safety concerns, Grace had to act quickly.
“When I left Irvine, it was a rush. There wasn’t enough time to have my parents drive down, so I packed everything in my dorm room and had a friend drive me home,” she recalls.
With such an abrupt departure from campus and her usual university life, Grace initially struggled to adapt to studying and working from home. While she was fortunate enough to have the necessary technological tools and resources for online learning, her biggest problem was finding ways to stay on task.
Grace laughs, “The first two weeks I was really bored and just mindlessly eating all the time.” She also remembers how easy it was to lose track of what she was doing when all the days blend into each other.
To bring more order and structure to her life, Grace developed strategies that helped her document her daily activities.
“I started journaling so I could write down the important things that happened every day,” she explains. “It helped me keep track of my days and also helped me track my thoughts and feelings, which I think is really important as well.”
Having a set work schedule is also something that helps Grace allocate her time and be more productive. She mentions that because all of her class lectures are pre-recorded, it’s easy for her to put them off. However, having scheduled work meetings and deadlines for her position as a student intern at UCI’s OVPTL motivates her to actually get out of bed and take care of her assignments and other responsibilities.
As Grace established a more regular schedule for herself, she realized she had more free time on her hands. Recognizing this as an opportunity to focus on her personal and professional development, Grace has devoted herself to thinking more seriously about her future goals.
“Before, when I was in Irvine, I was applying for jobs and interviewing, but it was only 10% of my total time,” Grace reveals. “Now, I’m spending most of my time researching what I want to do in the future. I think the pandemic really has helped me think about what I want to do with my life.”
In many ways, the pandemic has also changed how Grace thinks about success.
“I’m a really results-oriented person,” Grace admits, “But recently, I’ve realized that just focusing on results is superficial. Now, when I think about my goals, I’m focusing on more long-term things that will actually have an impact.”
While Grace has been using her time for introspection, she has also been more proactive when it comes to seeking out opportunities to expand her professional experience. Not only has she applied to several jobs, but she has actually received interview requests from some of the companies.
“This is a success for me,” she explains, “As a freshman, you don’t usually get that many responses.”
Grace says that even if she doesn’t get hired for the positions, going through the process of researching the different companies, exploring the various industries, and preparing for interviews is a good learning experience.
In addition to taking strides professionally, she is also careful to set aside time to take care of her physical and mental health. As a self-proclaimed introvert, Grace says that she doesn’t mind relaxing by herself and watching TV, reading, or online shopping. To get out of the house, Grace has also started running around her community and exploring nearby areas on her own. In many ways, this has helped her gain a new appreciation for the world around her.
“The other day, I ran to a nearby city and I could see the sunset and everything,” Grace recounts. “And I just realized I missed out on everything like that in Irvine. I’ve never really taken the time to walk around there before.”
Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an important period of growth and learning for Grace. While the pandemic is certainly something she never wanted, she admits that there are positives to the situation:
I really do miss school and I miss my friends there, but I think that this time has really helped me learn more about myself. In Irvine, I was always surrounded by people like 24/7. But now, I’m just really with my thoughts and it’s allowed me to check in with myself, catch up, and not be too frantic about things.
Want to share how you are redefining success in the current pandemic? Then submit your story here. To read more Stories of Resilience During the Pandemic, click here.