The Importance of Relationships – Andrea Guarino
Andrea Guarino is the assistant director of student engagement and leadership for events.
In the last 10 months since COVID-19 changed our world, I have learned so much. I learned how to draw, learned some Italian, and reluctantly learned a few TikTok dances, courtesy of my 15-year-old niece. The most important thing by far has been learning the true importance of relationships.
The pandemic has challenged me to reevaluate exactly what they mean to me. Family and friends have always been the most important thing in my life, but sometimes we get so busy with our own lives, we do not take the time to nurture those relationships the way we should. We get so caught up in to-do lists and our day-to-day, and we lose sight of the little things and connections that matter.
If there is one thing the pandemic has given me, it is time; time to stop, take a deep breath, and foster relationships that mean the world to me. I have been fortunate enough to reconnect with old friends and with family during this time. I have also been able to strengthen newer friendships in a really special way. Facetime chats and Zoom game nights have filled my days with so much joy and laughter. As much as I would love to be able to enjoy in-person quality time with my family and friends, I have learned to embrace these new ways of connecting and communicating.
My hope as we move forward, whatever that looks like, is to continue to prioritize those I love in a truly meaningful way. I will continue to nurture and cherish those relationships and friendships every single day. I pray that we all continue to take time out of our busy lives to connect with those we love, even if it is just for a few minutes.
I know how much darker these last 10 months would have been for me, had I not embraced these important people in my life the way that I did. I am so thankful for them and will never take them or the simple moments we share for granted again.
Andrea Guarino is the assistant director of student engagement and leadership for events.