How I Spent My Summer

Summer 2020 was drastically different from what I had pictured. As an international LLM student, I had imagined myself arriving in LA a month before classes began and becoming acquainted with the city. 

I had handed in my letter of resignation at work in June, as I planned on leaving for LA in July. The day after I handed in my notice, I received word that the Fall semester would be fully online. After a quick pep talk, I asked if I could stay for an extra month – just until classes at Loyola began. Luckily, my employer said yes.

So, instead of enjoying the LA weather, visiting the beach, and eating all the Cheesecake Factory that I physically could, I spent my summer working from home. (I’ve only been to the Cheesecake Factory once, back in 2014 when I visited the US.  Next time, I plan on somehow trying everything on the menu.) 

Working from the comfort of my own living room was a new experience. By far the most pleasant part, however, was the lack of commute. Gone was the hour-long train ride each way. The extra hour of sleep each morning was delightful.

Many video calls were had with friends, where we played Skribbl so often that many of us memorized the words and could, simply by counting the number of letters, wager an accurate guess.

Was my summer what I had initially pictured? No, but I have embraced it. So much is going on in the world at the moment, lots of it scary, and I can only be grateful for everything that I do have. I do hope to one day step foot on campus, but, if this summer has taught me anything, it is to remain flexible and thankful.