So here we are, about a year into life with COVID-19 — still doing so much online, including learning. Teachers, students, and their loved ones have been making heroic efforts to adjust, and even the toughest among us have had to fight through some degree of “Zoom Gloom” or virtual fatigue. But with vaccines in distribution and months of evidence about how resilient we can be, now is no time to give up on remote learning. Instead, let’s talk about how to take your online education to the next level.

Work life has changed dramatically for the millions of people who are now working from home. According to recent Gallup statistics, 33 percent of employees in the United States are always working virtually, and 25 percent are working from home as part of a hybrid business model.

With the pandemic far from over, many employers are trying to figure out how to navigate remote and in-person work. As a result, you may find yourself in a hybrid role, balancing time both in the office and remotely each week. After working from home for more than a year, this may seem like a huge change. So, how can we adjust to a hybrid work model?

So here we are — almost a year into a pandemic — with lives full of virtual activities we used to do in person. We’ve adjusted in countless ways to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Whether you’re learning online entirely or have a “blended” schedule of physical classroom and distance learning, It isn’t easy. A reality of our brave new world is “virtual burnout.”

The response to COVID-19 has raised the profile of health care professionals, inspiring a new wave of interest in front-line health careers. In light of the pandemic’s disproportionate effect on Indigenous communities, an increasing number of Native students are now taking a serious look at the educational paths to crucial health care roles.

Being a student in the time of COVID-19 has meant living and learning in new ways. The same can be said about professors, who have faced their own challenges and opportunities while learning to teach on digital platforms. Everyone’s situation during this time is unique. Some are on campus with safety guidelines and others are remote learning. With these drastic changes, schools, faculty, students, and families have shown tremendous resilience. Here are some lessons being drawn from this crash course in change and adaptation.
 

Does this sound familiar? You’re logging long hours, but no matter how hard you try, your to-do list keeps growing. Worse, while you have your share of successes, important things sometimes slip through the cracks of your action-packed days. But take heart. Adopting some strong organizational habits could be the key to making your work life much more productive — and far less stressful.

I am Water’s Edge born for Red Running into Water. My maternal grandfather’s first clan is Mexican Clan, and my paternal grandfather’s first clan is Water’s Edge Clan. In this way, I am a Navajo woman.

When I was young, I remember being awe-inspired by large structures and how things so massive could stay standing. Then on the Navajo Reservation, where I have lots of family, I would see collapsing houses and imperfect roads. That’s when I realized civil engineering could be a way to positively impact my community and the world around me, using my math skills to improve the lives of fellow Natives. 

Cherokee, N.C., is known for one thing: Harrah’s Casino. As a young girl growing up in its shadow, I knew that a career tied to Harrah’s wasn’t in my future. Instead, my interests lay in finance and art. But it wasn’t until I attended Arizona State University that I under-
stood how to combine the two. Now, as an MBA candidate at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, I’m well on my way to realizing my dreams by combining my financial skills with my love of art.