Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 All right. Welcome back to eliminate the gap. Um, we are delighted to be back with you. This is the final episode, uh, for us this year, uh, what a year it's been more than 20 episodes, um, and the viewer. I mean, God bless you. Y'all just keep on telling people about it. Something's happening because more and more people are listening and that couldn't make Del Mar and I'm more thrilled. So again, thank you all, uh, out there for listening. And as you can tell, uh, we have been upgraded, uh, by the presence of two young people for the first time, um, in the podcast history, we're actually going to talk to and get some young people to talk to an opinions on kind of where things are today and kind of what, how they feel about their future. And so I want to welcome, uh, if we could, I'd like to welcome Kylie or Donya and Jesse Cebu. Um, and so highly is down below me on the screen for those of you watching. And Jesse is down below, uh, Del Mar. So there we go. We'll get the names up there, uh, here shortly. So welcome.
Speaker 1 00:01:22 Excellent. Um, so we're gonna just jump right in here with some questions. Um, and the first one, I mean, so much of our lives have been dominated by COVID over the last week. We used to say it was just the last few months or the last year. It's just the last two years, almost really. Um, and that's just the reality for all of us. And so what we wanted to do both of you, uh, Kylie is just finished your first semester at James Madison university. Um, and Jesse, uh, also is in her first year at Lord Fairfax, uh, there in Virginia and so wanting to get, uh, so these are folks young in their college career, um, but also spent their senior year, uh, during COVID, uh, the senior year of high school. So we wanted to kind of, kind of talk about some of that too. So, um, Jesse, let me start with you just thinking back to your senior year. And I know there were probably a lot of things, but what's the one thing maybe you felt like you missed out on in your senior year?
Speaker 2 00:02:39 I don't know if I could contain it to one thing. I just feel like I missed out on being a senior just in general. I mean, I wasn't really like a life at school just changed a lot and I wasn't really excited as much to go to school and I kind of wanted it to be over, but I did look forward to graduation cause we have like a somewhat normal graduation. So, um, I was happy for that, but basically, yeah, I didn't really feel like I had a senior year at all. Um, yeah, so,
Speaker 1 00:03:10 Yeah, I I'm sure. I certainly have heard that from a lot of folks. Um, Kylie, I'm going to ask you to follow the rules. One thing I'm just kidding. It's a joke. Um, uh, but in all seriousness, uh, what do you kind of think about, uh, maybe a little sadness in your senior year?
Speaker 2 00:03:32 Um, I definitely agree with Jessie on the feeling like a senior, especially through extra cricket extracurriculars, like sports because I played volleyball and I know that that was all getting messed up. We were always threatened with the opera. I mean the like situation where we wouldn't even have a season, which like kept us on eggshells, but I was privileged enough to have one and my school did do I'm a hybrid model. So I was very thankful for that because the other thing I would touch on is the social aspect of seeing your friends every day at school. And I seriously, that was like one of my most important things about school. Like always seeing your friends, even like the tough times. So yeah.
Speaker 3 00:04:17 So trying to talking about that Kylie, like just, can you guys briefly talk about like I know, and it sounds like a portion of maybe your year you started off. Most of us started off I believe at home. Uh, and did you ever, if we're in this for both of you guys, did you guys wind up attending school for poor part of the year or were you at home the majority of time? It does a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 00:04:41 Um, my first semester in school was the hybrid solution. So last names, I believe it was like a through and went in and then like other days it'd be L through Z. I messed that up. But, um, but I know towards the end of the year, our school out all of the seniors to come back for, like at least the end of the year when all the senior stuff happens, like all the graduation prom. So it got back to somewhat normal. The only differences were like masks and social distancing, but I mean, it was as close as you could get. And I was so appreciative of that.
Speaker 3 00:05:22 And Jessie,
Speaker 2 00:05:23 Yeah, I stayed online for senior year, so it was a little different for me. Um, but I basically just kind of wanted to focus on school more. And I, from being like going to the pandemic to going back to school, I kind of wanted, I kind of had like the mindset I wanted to get it over more, but that was just, that's just how I felt.
Speaker 1 00:05:43 Did you have an option to do a hybrid and you just chose to stay online or did your school stay online?
Speaker 2 00:05:50 No, I chose to stay online. Oh, okay. That's
Speaker 1 00:05:52 Interesting. Yeah. I know some folks that, you know, and I'll tell, um, I know people, uh, would be young people and adults that actually kind of liked being able to just interact this way as opposed to, uh, you know, having to go in and all of that. And, and then it sounds like Jessie for you, maybe it was just more efficient and focused and things like that. Um, so, uh, I can, I can see how that's, uh, one of those things.
Speaker 3 00:06:22 Yeah. But speaking about instruction in this way, like, so with the way that instruction was different and especially, you know, for you Jesse throughout the year and dilate for you again of the year, and then just the different changes that we all kind of went through. How has that helped you adapt to college instruction?
Speaker 2 00:06:46 Okay. Um, I definitely feel like the situation we went through, um, last year, um, definitely like was perfect for creating confusion Ms. miscommunication. Um, so I feel like that prepared me for college personally because professors have how many kids in their classrooms and like it's a good way. It was like good ways of learning how to communicate and learning how to get organized and how to adapt to like something change or like, um, being able to adapt to not maybe having the resources you'd hope to. Um, so yeah. Oh, and also like adapting to technology. Like I feel like in college, it's very much, you have the option to like join classes on zoom sometimes. And like it's very electronically based like assignments and everything. So I also feel like adapting my skills to their technology through the past year definitely has helped me in college.
Speaker 2 00:07:47 Yeah. I agree with Kylie just being, going online and the pandemic, it was definitely more of an independent thing. And a classroom kind of turned into more of like a lecture. So I did, it did help me prepare for college with like taking notes and studying habits and stuff like that because there wasn't as much, um, guidance like, or, or teacher interaction. It was kind of just, I was all on my own and you joined the meeting and you listened and then there was a test online. So you had to make sure you got it done on your own time. So definitely prepared me for the college classes that I'm taking now.
Speaker 1 00:08:23 Well, so it's interesting. And again, having been one, um, yeah, an employer, um, they it's, it's been universal and it's been this way for awhile. Um, and it'll be interesting once more studies emerge, uh, here over the next year or so. Um, but so many employers talk about the one or two things that they do not get enough of from their employees is, uh, good communication and collaboration. Um, and so kind of thinking about that, and I know you guys are early in, in, in the college things, but projecting five, 10 years out. I mean, this is a unique time. So many, that's the one thing that unites me with you all in, in, in us with so many other folks. And so nobody ever has been through this and we all did it, you know, together in one way or another. And so five, 10 years from now, how do you think some of this from a silver lining Jesse might benefit you having been kind of at this stage?
Speaker 2 00:09:37 Uh, it's definitely going to benefit me because I being independent and learning how to deal with all of these different obstacles is definitely a lot more challenging and taught me a lot more than, you know, people who were kind of guided through school and stuff like that. I mean, I know how to deal with all kinds of things I'm learning to get through. I mean, online school was hard. Um, time management learned definitely how to improve on my time management skills, um, emailing, um, basically a lot of skills that I don't think I learned if, if it was a normal year. Definitely. So
Speaker 2 00:10:20 I definitely agree with that five, 10 years from now, I feel like, um, the situation in class, you're kind of forced me to like mature a bit, like learning that you need to be assertive. You need to email your teachers, professors, whatever peers, just to get stuff done. Because like Jesse was saying, you have to be very like independent. And I feel like that's definitely helpful because it forces you into a situation where you have to learn about yourself and your work habits. And I feel like that's one of the most useful skills I've definitely gotten out of this. And I feel like that could take me a very long way into the future.
Speaker 1 00:10:58 So do me favor, um, when y'all are preparing for that really big first interview, uh, for your job out of school, uh, go watch this episode and remind yourself of what you've learned during this, because I guarantee this is going to be a question for a long time for you in the interviews. Um, so,
Speaker 3 00:11:18 And did they know that they're prepping up for oh, secondary jobs?
Speaker 1 00:11:26 That's exactly right. Um, and that just kinda yellow touched on it, but, but just take a moment. Um, and, and just kind of think, what did you really learn about yourself during this time period? Both of you have articulated, um, some disconnection, right. Uh, through things, and I'm sure from a mental health standpoint, there were some more times associated with that. I'm assuming that's the way it is for, for a lot of folks, but, but help me understand. And Kylie take this one first year. What did you really kind of, have you learned about yourself over the last year or two?
Speaker 2 00:12:10 Um, I definitely learned that I'm a person who lives in breeze off of organization. If there's no sort of like foundation or like, like clear understanding of what I'm about to do, whether it be assignment, essay, study for a test, I need to get organized first. I definitely learned that about myself and I think a very, another very big thing about myself, my whole life. I'm like, oh, I'm an introvert. I can like spend time alone. I cannot, I love to collaborate. I like love hearing other people's ideas about my own work. I like telling people my ideas on there's like, just like things such like peer review and like getting together to study for a test. That's very helpful for me. And I like never knew that about myself until it was ripped away from me completely. But yeah.
Speaker 2 00:13:07 Yeah. I mean, for me during the pandemic, um, and when I went online, I, I worked basically full time. So I kind of learned that I liked working more than going to school at the time, which is different. Cause I, I felt like I had more of a purpose when I worked and I felt like I learned things like we were talking about earlier, like interviewing skills and team management, communication and stuff. And it kinda made me realize that I feel like there should be something like that offered in school and there's not. So that's where I kind of, I F I felt a lot and I do learn more of those things in college, but I still feel like that should be kind of added into the high school curriculum. Um, so I kind of learned that, that I, I like working and, um, I'm a hard worker, sorry about that. And, um, and, um, basically, yeah, I just working on skills and improving how I am and I'm getting ready for college, so, yeah.
Speaker 3 00:14:06 Oh, cool. All right. So at least wrap up with this last question here for you guys, uh, given you are young people and you got a lot of practitioners, whether it be teachers, afterschool providers, uh, just the gambit of, uh, things out there.
Speaker 1 00:14:26 I forgot to mention, we got a lot of coaches. Now we did this piece, we've done a few sports focused one. So we've got some coaches now that are regular. Anyway,
Speaker 3 00:14:36 We don't want to forget about bill. Uh, what's one message that you'd have four I'll include myself in there. The us practitioners out there. What's one message you have for,
Speaker 2 00:14:51 Yeah. I can take this one first. Um, my message would definitely be to stay understanding and be compassionate because I can attest from online. Like it kind of takes away that aspect of humanity. When you're looking at your teacher through a screen, you're watching your professor lecture through a screen. It's like hard to think of it as like real school for students. And I can imagine the same for like professors or teachers. So I guess like kind of still treating it like it is real school too. Like as much as you can and be like very understanding about circumstances.
Speaker 2 00:15:36 Yeah. I agree with her. And also the fact that just like mental health of students is very important these days. Um, schools, if they go in might be the only place for, you know, kids with broken homes to escape. And if they don't get the help that they need there, then they can't really go anywhere. Um, so just keeping that in mind that teachers should be aware of, of just how their students feel. If they see somebody that looks stressed out, help them out. I just think schools could be a little bit more focused on that. Maybe offer something else other than counselors and stuff like that. But teachers should be aware too, of just, um, helping students feel comfortable and, uh, be, uh, be feeling kind of like a home in their classroom. I don't know. But yeah,
Speaker 1 00:16:23 No, I it's critical. I had a conversation not too long ago with a college student and we were talking about mental health and one of the things she identified, um, was the fact that because we've been in this situation for so long doing and meeting with a counselor or a therapist or somebody like that in college, I know privacy, where can I go to go have a private conversation with somebody in that? And, you know, really, and it was just an interesting piece that, that somebody like myself is not thinking, you know, about that, like, oh, of course that's you, she's like people are doing calls in their car. They're, you know, trying to, you know, you know, just not less than ideal. And that's just on the mental health side. Um, you know, Kylie and it's, it's interesting. We had a, an episode, a couple back, uh, with the social entrepreneur.
Speaker 1 00:17:24 I mean, she's as well-regarded, uh, globally, as there is in doing social entrepreneurship. And one of the things she highlighted was those companies and those businesses and those organizations that continue to have empathy and lead with empathy, uh, were the ones that we're going to continue to thrive. Um, and she really highlighted that that's been something that's more valued than it had been, um, from a leadership standpoint and from an employee, right. I, I want to go work for somebody and with an organization that values me as a person and demonstrates it through understanding, flexibility, empathy, et cetera. And so I just thought it was an interesting thing for her to say a couple episodes and then for you all to both kind of highlight, you know, how critical those things are too. So that makes me feel encouraged that we have some alignment, uh, you know, hopefully this can, some of that can be sustained. Um, Dell, do you have any kind of closing thoughts? Those are my closing thoughts.
Speaker 3 00:18:33 Uh, well really just thank you guys for taking this time out. We really are happy to have our first young people, you know, we're a show about young people's, what's important. We, we include young people in the conversation, so it's, it's very valuable to get your feedback. And, uh, I know hopefully our listeners appreciate hearing what you have to say here today. So I just want to thank you very much for your willingness to be a part of this.
Speaker 1 00:19:02 Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us. Uh, four eliminates a gap, and this is going to wrap, uh, 2021. Um, look for us to come out of the gate in 2022, we are going to do a best of show to mark our first anniversary, uh, here in a few weeks. So look forward to that. It's going to be upstanding and we've got a whole slate of outstanding guests coming up in the new year. So again, thank you all, uh, Kylie, Jesse, thanks so much again for the time.
Speaker 0 00:19:40 Thank you for having us.
