If you were to look at last year’s end of year recap, you never could have predicted what 2020 would throw at us. Any of us. Events were cancelled, plans were scrapped, new plans were crafted and recrafted. Things we had planned never came to fruition, and many things we never could have anticipated threw themselves in front of us and demanded our attention, our energy, our solutions, again and again and again.
And that’s how 2020 has been for many folks. Yet in the wildness that this year has brought – the more-than-usual unpredictability of life, the tragedy, and the need for adaptation at a rate many have never before experienced, there has been good. There has been progress – much needed in a lot of areas. There has been reason to celebrate, and to commiserate. But rather than put words in the mouths of our colleagues, here are some things the Writers’ Program staff is grateful for, even amidst the turbulence of this year.

Charlie, Program Director: I’m grateful for my Writers’ Program colleagues and our instructors, who have been my anchors of human contact during this pandemic.

Nutschell, Program Manager: I’m grateful for the opportunity to work from home. It’s saved me a lot of driving (and gas money) and allowed me to spend loads more time with my family.

Chae, Program Rep: I’m extremely grateful for my family, friends and colleagues. Despite being apart, they’ve kept me grounded and connected so the brunt of isolation isn’t as bad of a struggle.

Ashley, Program Rep: I’m thankful for the strong, nourishing relationships in my life—my family, friends, and co-workers who have kept me sane this year. I’m also very, very thankful for ice cream.

Jennie, Program Rep: I am thankful that this year (and the Writers’ Program!) has taught me to take time for myself and reminded me how important slowing down is for overall wellness. This year has also given me some good alone time to put energy into the projects, stories, and people that I love most, and I’m grateful for the chance to refocus. I’m also super grateful that I get to spend all day with my dog and cat while working from home!

Jeff, Student Advisor: Well… I’ve worked at the WP for a long time. Many storms have been weathered by our tight-knit team and this year really takes the cake. I’m thankful we were all able transition to working from home and hosting courses remotely without any loss of quality or productivity. I’m thankful that I probably get 10 hours back each week not commuting to and from work. I’m thankful for Zoom and virtual games that allow us to maintain comradery while we don’t have the usual stuff like bar trivia in Westwood. I’m thankful for all the apps where I can literally press a button and have food delivered to my door (supporting local businesses to boot). And most of all I’d say I’m thankful how this year has resulted in myself reconnecting with people from the past in ways I didn’t expect. 2020 has been a doozy for so many of us, but if you try hard enough, you can definitely find what I call the “pandemic silver linings”.

Bree, Social Media & Community Relations: I’m grateful for the continued ethics of the amazing team here at the WP. Even in this most challenging of years, we keep encouraging each other to be our best selves. I’m also grateful, in a strange way, for the unexpected flexibility that came out of this wild year. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to experience the season known as fall again and spend quality time with my parents back home. And lastly I’m grateful to this year for driving many of us to examine what is most important in our lives: what we value, what we want to learn, how we want to grow as people, who we care about most, and how we care for ourselves and each other in the midst of so many crises. I hope we’re able to keep the good that has resulted from this year while discarding the bad in 2021.

Alexis, Work Study: In 2020, I’m most thankful for my friends, who have kept me both laughing and relatively sane these past few months. We’ve all grown so much in such a short amount of time due to the state of the world, and I’m forever grateful for having them by my side.

Noemi, Work Study: What I’m grateful for in 2020 is having had the opportunity to start a Zoom writing group with one of my old college professors. We meet every week and bring pieces of writing to share and it’s totally changed the game as far as providing adequate motivation to write in these difficult times!

Ultimately, this year may be dubbed the year of showing up. Showing up for ourselves, for what matters, for what makes us thrive. So many showed up for us, in the Writers’ Program, from longtime instructors who’d never before taught online (pivoting to this instruction mode in days) to new instructors who roll with every change to all-digital hiring processes, from staff juggling already heavy workloads to emergency triaging for months during a pandemic and civil unrest. It may seem surprising that in this time when so much is, and has been, uncertain that our program has experienced record high enrollments. However, as writers ourselves we know the value of dedicating time to craft, to storytelling, to putting value in personal and artistic endeavors. And for so many students, continuing and new, to recognize that as well – to embrace in a time of uncertainty the power of their own thoughts, words, and expression – is humbling.

We are grateful, every year, for the community that shows up for the Writers’ Program. And this year, we are extra grateful – and extra proud of everyone who has chosen to show up for their passions.

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