Had someone said to us on 17th March 2020 when we hurried out of the office with our laptops and assorted items of stationery that we still wouldn’t be back a year down the line, we would have said ‘yeah, right!’ Yet here we are – twelve months on and we’re still working from home in the fight against a virus that has changed the way we live our lives forever. Many have lost loved ones, most have not seen family for months on end, and we’ve all had to come to terms with our own individual challenges and circumstances.
The more optimistic amongst us imagined we might be back at work in the Technology and Innovation Centre by June, welcoming clients and delegates which is normally our busiest month during a regular year, before the summer break. Although it turned out that June was just a little too ambitious, it really felt like things were improving over the summer, and we were hopeful of a September return – but of course the virus had other ideas. As we mark this strangest of anniversaries, the skies are definitely looking brighter, as the vaccine programme is rolled out across the country and we see infections and hospitalisations gradually declining. However, it’s clear there’s still a long way to go and it’s important to recognise the part that each of us can play as we establish a new ‘normal’ - because of course, life can’t and won’t go back to what it was before.
Over the next few months, it will be more important than ever to support one another, helping each other heal as we slowly set off along the path that will return us to social interaction. For many, this may feel quite daunting after being in relative isolation for so long; while others will be eager to jump straight back in. Then there are those of us who will be in between – that word ‘hybrid’ again! Keen to spend quality time with friends and family, but equally apprehensive about getting back to the ‘hamster wheel’ of day-to-day life, which might often have felt overwhelming and difficult to juggle.
There are pros and cons to everything in life and this last year has been a rollercoaster of emotions – the Coronacoaster, if you will. For some, the grief and sorrow of losing a loved one without being able to say a proper goodbye will have been overwhelming, while many of us have experienced feelings of loneliness and isolation which have, at times, been hard to bear.
On the other hand, for some people the pace of life has slowed quite dramatically, and they’ve found this to be a welcome change. Spending quality time with partners and children, which would have seemed quite impossible in ‘normal’ circumstances, has been a gift. So many people speak about their discovery of the world around them, in particular the joy of being outdoors and exploring their neighbourhood, and very few of us would have found the time to do this without having a good reason to do so. Many of us have established new routines which will stick with us and created lovely memories that we’ll cherish despite the challenges of dealing with a pandemic.
As a team we’ve certainly had plenty of moments that are memorable for all the right reasons, and feel closer than ever even though we haven’t been together face-to-face since last year. We’ve supported and challenged ourselves to stay positive and keep going and tried to created content for our social media profiles that we hope has raised a smile or sown the seeds of a positive thought in the minds of our followers. Earlier this month, our Conference Operations Manager Nicola, welcomed the newest addition to our Conferencing & Events family, and this little bundle has brought us all a bit of much-needed joy just when we’re starting to flag. With the pitter-patter of tiny feet on the horizon for Conference Operations Co-ordinator Monika too, we have another online baby shower to look forward to! We started the year with a fantastic Burns Night quiz, as well as a catch-up with our much-missed colleagues at Glasgow Convention Bureau! We’ve continued to work closely with the team throughout the past year, and were delighted to feature in their recent, inspiring news article about the conferences Team Glasgow has won despite the many challenges, a brilliant reminder of a bright future. Our Virtual Venue for internal clients is going from strength to strength and we’re delighted to be supporting DATA.SPACE 2021 with a series of online events over the next few months.
Who knows what ‘business as usual’ will look like this time next year? There’s no doubt that the world of work will look quite different, with many companies adopting a more agile, flexible working model like the University of Strathclyde, which has been so supportive of us all over the past year. We’ve said it before but we miss all of our colleagues, clients and friends and can’t wait to see you all again when it is safe to do so. It really feels like we are genuinely creeping a little closer to that moment with every day that passes. It still isn’t easy at times, but by being kind to ourselves, admitting that it’s OK not to be OK, recognising just how resilient we’ve all been over such a long period and feeling proud about that, we’ll get there. Keep going everyone and don’t forget, you’re never alone – we’re always here for a chat, whether it’s a call, an email or a cheeky wee Zoom. It doesn’t have to be about events, it can be about anything at all. Anything that will help support you until we’re able to work together again. Please do get in touch, anytime.