Not long ago, we reached a milestone: one full calendar year since campus switched over to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and now we're nearing the end of the 2020–21 academic year—another major milestone. Each of us has faced burdens, disappointments and unique challenges in that time—but alongside those, many have also found silver linings and unexpected reasons for hope. 

The 107th Picnic Day celebration will be virtual this year, and the theme—"Discovering Silver Linings"—reflects the Aggie spirit of optimism, resilience and making the best of every situation!  One of the biggest advantages of a virtual celebration is that anyone can attend, no matter where they are, and as Picnic Day Chair Caitlyn Liu said in the team’s kick-off video, “We hope that in itself is a silver lining.” 

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time dedicated to the awareness and prevention of sexual harassment and assault. There are a number of resources for survivors of sexual assault on campus, as well as for those looking to provide support to survivors. Confidential advocacy services are available to all UC Davis students, and community organizations also offer many services to those in need of support.

Attending school virtually can lead to screen burnout pretty fast. Here are some ideas for when you’ve been switching between your phone and online classes all day and can’t bear to look at anything digital for another second.