ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic added pressure to educators and students due to the emergency remote pivot to online teaching and learning resulting in uploading content quickly online. The context for this chapter is two academic course leaders locking down in our houses while concurrently dealing with unavoidable pandemic challenges (e.g., overcrowding, home as office, isolation). Anxiety and depression nudged at our doors, and we tried not to “over think” it. We found solace in online platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams). We chose backgrounds that placed us on a beach – or on the moon! We were trying to escape! Out of necessity we communicated with our students in ways intended to guide them towards healthier wellbeing in this crisis. We used images and personal stories to demonstrate compassion as we shared our journey with them. While encouraging students to achieve to their fullest ability despite the pandemic, we communicated compassion, kindness, and a general message of, “It will be alright.”
