Drowning on Dry Land: Looking Back and Learning From COVID-19

Abstract

As we start to round out 2021, we know that many people will be feeling a sense of exhaustion, both physically and emotionally. The last 18 months, as one colleague aptly put it, has felt like drowning; a constant swimming against the tide; an endless battle to keep our heads above water. As our readers will be aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on higher education around the world and all individuals who are part of the system. Although vaccination rates are increasing in many countries around the world, and restrictions are being lifted gradually, we still face a great deal of uncertainty. Some of our students and colleagues are mourning the loss of loved ones. Others are recovering from COVID-19, and some are dealing with the long-term effects of the disease. Both students and faculty are facing high levels of burnout and psychological distress, with no clear end in sight. While some universities require masks and vaccinations to attend campus, others do not. As such, the pandemic can be viewed as “a chronic and unpredictable form of stress” (Hellemans et al., 2020) and “an unfolding process, a series of traumatic events with no clear end” (Greenberg & Hibbert, 2020, p. 124) that will continue to affect us for the foreseeable future. Despite the losses we have each experienced and the uncertainty of what lies ahead, we believe it is important to recognize and celebrate those who