If someone had told me I wouldn't be in Cincinnati for almost one and a half years, I would have laughed so hard. But this is the reality we live in today. It's been precisely 537 days since I saw my friends back at UC and left Cincinnati for winter break in 2019. Honestly, it's been a year since I have seen someone my age. I am staying at my aunt's place in Maryland with my cousin, who will turn eight next month. In introspection, the staycation hasn't been that bad. My cooking skills have gotten 5x for sure. I spent a lot of time with my family.

In the fall semester, I was doing my second rotation with the Chamberlain Group, and, like many other things, it was online. Due to covid, I was the only intern they hired, so the experience was very different compared to that of the spring semester. In my first rotation, I was on a team of 6 interns, and now I was working with full-time employees who were experts at what they were doing. It was a great learning experience but not as much fun as the first one. I was responsible for the Bluetooth firmware development of the Pet Portal, a smart pet door. We were developing a one-of-a-kind solution for all the pet dog owners who find it troubling to leave their dogs home. My team was accommodating and helped me with the learning curve required for firmware engineering. I finished my last rotation with Chamberlain Group on a high. We presented our product at CES 2021, the biggest consumer electronics show, and won the Best of Innovation in the Smart Home category. Chamberlain has an awesome co-op program, and I am grateful to my managers and team for all their help and guidance.

Four months of fall flew by so fast that I couldn't even realize that I have been void of social interaction for almost a year now. If it weren't for covid-19, I would have been in India in the winter break. I haven't seen my parents since the spring of 2018. India is struggling right now to cope with the pandemic. I sometimes contemplate if it was the right decision to leave my parents and go all the way across the planet for college. I don't know how they had the strength to send both their kids so far away, but they keep on reminding me our education is their number one priority. I might be able to see them this winter break if the situation improves there. That's all I wish for right now these days.

The spring semester was online again, and it was the last semester of my core classes. I enjoyed all my courses, albeit not as much as if it was in person. I also participated in a competition organized by the Lindner School of Business called Problem Pitch where we had to pitch a startup idea to solve a problem. My friends and I developed a solution called DonationQuest to solve the problem of increasing carbon footprint. I led the ideation and developed the android prototype for the competition. We presented our solution to a panel of CEOs from companies in Cincinnati. They were impressed by our work, and we won the first prize in the Social Enterprise Track alongside a scholarship of $900. It was the highlight of the semester for me. I enjoy problem-solving, and this competition gave me a chance to showcase my passion for social entrepreneurship.

The pandemic of 2020 (this is what I think people will call it in the future) made me realize the importance of socialization. I reached out to check on family and friends and vice versa, which rekindled many old friendships. The Junior year might have been a staycation, but now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to be back in Queen City in the fall semester and see all my friends again. This year made me more empathetic and caring. It is the dark times that teach us the importance of staying connected and supporting everyone around us. Everyone is fighting their own battles and checking on them every now and then helps them stay stronger. I am hopeful that things will get better in India and all around the world. 🤞