Comment:  Among the collateral benefits of the lockdown – there are very few — has been the opportunity to do an exhaustive clean-up of my files, folders, zip drives, desk drawers, piles of paper resting somewhere gathering dust. Included in this lessening mess have been some writing ideas.

In theory, said creative expressions could be updated to reflect the crazy world we are now experiencing, but in practice, that is unwieldy, awkward, and simply not worth it.

So —- nothing below has anything to do with the virus and its impact.  That belongs in a separate, new piece tentatively called “Brave New World.” Whoops, that nomenclature has been used …. and used …. and used. Perhaps it should be “Brave? New? World?”

****

It is the 530am Lakeland bus out of the Dover, New Jersey terminal, the same bus I took into New York City when I worked on Wall Street several decades ago. Darkness surrounds me, the mostly male construction guys catching some shut-eye before getting to the Big Apple and their well-paid but physically demanding union jobs that typically go from 7-730am to 2-3pm. Many of them, true of the bus drivers as well, live 40 miles or more west of the bus terminal, preferring the lifestyle and tax structure across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

As age begins to make an impact, I sometimes turn off my reading light on the bus, the only one which has been on, swapping productive endeavors for quiet contemplation or actual slumber. Which in fact might be the most productive activity for both the early hour and the full day ahead, and maybe this specific metric is silly anyway.

But productivity is a common characterization about the use of time, and relevant to myself. Herb, a research salesman at my former employer, proclaimed that I was the most productive analyst he had ever met, the definition being published reports, client calls made, and recommendations which were more on the money than not.

Sometimes back in the day on an early bus I would feel a touch guilty about having my light on, but the emotion passed as I wanted to be accomplishing something relevant to a job I loved … until I didn’t. Nobody on a quiet bus asks anybody else how they want to make the ride enjoyable, useful, quick, whatever.

The light bulb going on has long been the imagery of an idea coming to someone. Maybe being the only light has some competitive or creative significance, regardless of the field of endeavor. For a young person, there are multiple lights which must be discovered: illumination on cultural acclimation, inclusive of code switching as he or she winds their way through the often poorly-lit demands of family, professors, peers, friends, romantic partners, the community at large. How many of these lights confuse oneself, compete with each other. Which ones can be combined, coordinated.

Does it always take a well-researched, well-written expose, whether in book form or that of a newspaper or magazine, to shed light on ugly situations of great consequence, e.g. opioid addiction or abuse cover-ups in the Catholic church, or college admission scandals, or race-related institutional barriers to advancement, or gender discrimination in employment.

Can there be an effective light shown on the hypocrisy of super-affluent people lamenting income inequality while their companies actively seek to put the little shops out of business. There is a bodega on East 108^th Street in New York City which advertises newspapers, organic products, and beer, among other products in its unique, community-friendly space.  Can it survive when the corporate big box retailer opens up a half-dozen blocks away; should the spotlight be on the local impact or the lower prices, healthier food selections of the corporate competitor.

If you do not put your own light on, is it the fault of the electric utility or the bus company or the possibly annoyed seat mate … or are you looking for somebody to be at fault for your lack of initiative, curiosity, and determination.

A student asked me for some advice as he pursued life after his recent college graduation. When I re-read what I had said off the top of my head in response, the generalizations did not sound half-bad. Some days you get inspired — or lucky!

Hence they now form the backbone of another entry in my ad hoc series of communications.

*assume the COVID impact is persistent, despite everybody’s desire for a near-term re-opening (in this geographical area, two-thirds of people would not be comfortable getting on a bus, train, or subway; over half do not want to shake hands) 

*every day declare something to be positive

*it is terribly difficult to avoid debt, but try to minimize it, especially on credit cards

*always have a Plan B to backstop your Plan A

*keep networking even when the person you are talking with cannot be helpful at this moment

*stay in touch with friends

*help somebody less fortunate

*maintain your credibility, that what you say is what you do, assuming it is doable of course

*control stress to the extent possible; exercising or journaling are useful

*be grateful for something; for K-12 students, a recent headline captured the feeling of many: “The School Year really ended in March.” And these are young people for whom summer is typically a time when there is regression in terms of being ready for their new, higher grade.

For those continuing on to college in the Fall of 2020, I would add the following:

*colleges are fearful of students not returning. This may help you in negotiating financial aid

*be prepared for either on-campus classes with restrictions or a continuation of on-line college

*showing resolve to continue college under duress could be viewed positively by employers

*make sure your FAFSA filing is the most current possible as family incomes may have changed

*in case you were wondering, nobody really thinks that a total on-line education is a good thing

In the midst of this unprecedented situation, be assured, as previously communicated, that our commitment to your higher education is unchanged. When you have a class schedule and bill for the Fall of 2020, please send it to me as its receipt releases our regular grant check to you. Our support of summer classes in 2020 likewise remains intact; grants vary based on the details.

For those thinking about starting graduate school this coming Fall, while there could be variation, your assumption should be a continuation of the per-semester grant we provided during your undergraduate years. The same assumption can be used by those intending on entering graduate school in 2021; it is understandable, for all kinds of reasons, why a student might not be eager to be on-line this coming Fall.

Here are some websites relevant to refinancing student loans and making adjustments that have been caused by the virus’ impact on parental incomes. These are new to me, probably because I am not a techie, so I name them without it implying an endorsement:

Educatetocareer.org – Students and Families –Students Program page

Formswift, Credible, NerdWallet, Student Loan Hero, Splash, and LendKey.

***

As always, information and communication are critical to decision-making.

Stay safe!                     Bob