The Teachings of Covid

 I've learned a lot in the last couple of years. Covid was the teacher, and I was the student. These are the things that I've learned:

1. I still have the same introverted qualities that I had at age 4 where I'd hide behind my mom's long skirts and pretend like I couldn't see people. I spent years trying to be more outgoing, and I succeeded for 50 years, but the introvert is still there. I like being at home. 

2. I love not going inside stores to shop. Online grocery shopping and on-site pickup have been one of the best perks of Covid. I don't miss changing rooms or crowded stores. I order online and send it back if it isn't what I was looking for. 

3. Watching the wildlife in our backyard has brought me so much enjoyment. I feed orioles, hummingbirds, cardinals, robins, blue jays, and even swarms of finches. Squirrels drive me crazy, but I love watching these little pests, too. Foxes, rabbits, and deer all visit the backyard. There is always something to see out our back windows.

4. Slippers and pj pants are my favorite clothes. Oh, I still love jeans and flip flops, but I have a new appreciation for "home" clothes.

5. Faces are important. I wore masks, and I still do occasionally. (Sometimes, I feel anxiety without one.) Teaching, when everyone was in a mask, was challenging. I relied on smiles and smirks to sell a point or understand how my kids were feeling. I became an expert at reading eyes, but I still prefer the smiles, smirks, and even grimaces of teenagers. 

I won't get into zoom classes or online agendas, assignments, and grading. Just thinking about that time makes my head swim, but eventually, it became an important part of in-person classes, too. I learned to shut off the chat feature in zoom meetings unless I wanted to see things like; "I'd tell her she is muted, but this is actually kind of fun." "Anyone want to log out of here and game?" "Are you even wearing pants?" "Dude, turn off your music."  Yeah, it was really fun teaching in zoom rooms.