By: Jivanto van Hemert, MBA, M.Ed, OCPA Communications & Careers Conference Chair; Area Coordinator University of Dayton
As I contemplated writing about our current experiences I can’t think of a way to start other than saying “Welcome to Holland!” A sentiment that I shared with a number of folks on my campus based on this (very) short essay by Emily Perl Kingsley a longtime Sesame Street writer, about unmet expectations and, particularly, how we choose to navigate them, after her child was born with Down Syndrome. This piece is a work I learned of recently and have leaned on significantly as I figure out how to move forward.
With the rapidly evolving information about COVID-19, we’ve entered an experience that is unlike what any of us intended, expected (or even in our wildest dreams could have imagined) for the Spring 2020 semester. While different, this place, too, is full of beauty amidst the pain and difficulties-- windmills, tulips, Rembrandts, new learning, and more. I offer these thoughts as we begin to explore this new destination together:
Y’all—it’s hard here in Holland. Ambiguity (which feels like everything nowadays) = anxiety, big time (at least for me). So I’m (re-) focusing on taking care of myself and embracing this opportunity for increased vulnerability. Logically, we know that we’re supposed to do this, but all too often I see my colleagues (& myself alike) neglecting ourselves in favor of the work. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky’s Trauma Stewardship has a great perspective on how this grandiosity or sense that one can never do enough is not only detrimental to ourselves but also those we work with and the event results themselves. In the face of these unprecedented circumstances, there’s been a number of resources shared & recirculated. I offer a few of my personal favorites:
- In case you need some guidance on practicing self-care in the moment, please check out https://youfeellikeshit.com/ which walks you through basic care for self step by step. It is a particularly helpful tool when you don’t know what to do next.
- There’s a number of resources about navigating COVID-19 anxiety, specifically. Consider reading up on Forbes’ article about the Psychology Of Uncertainty here or NPR’s 4-minute interview here.
- Consider these (always relevant but now targeted) tips from Active Minds.
- Personal connections are key. To this end, I’ve offered opportunities for digital check-ins even more broadly than I traditional have offered in-person check-in. (Thank you Google calendar appointment slots!).
- Consider joining me for daily desk yoga or the University of Dayton’s daily prayer at noon each workday.
- This is a great cartoon about meditation-- specifically for beginners.
- Check out this reading about The Sacred Pause that some may find timely.
- Finally, the Greater Good’s Guide to Well-Being During Coronavirus has tips, resources, & opportunities for future connection
I’m proud to work in a field that is so responsive to the signs of our times. Our #OCPAchat featured a number of resources from our colleagues around the state and across the globe. We, as a whole, have risen to the challenge of adapting whole communities to a new format in nothing flat. For folks that are still working on these efforts, consider:
- Mari Walton of Xavier’s Office of Residence Life has crowdsourced this google document with tools to support operations, messaging, remote learning, remote community building, and more.
- Our colleagues at CampusGroups have unlocked and retooled features, outlined here, for campuses to specifically respond to COVID-19 needs & concerns in their platform.
- Facebook groups with additional sharing opportunities and resources for educators moving digital have cropped up or risen in popularity left, right, and center.
- Countless professional associations have offered guidance and resources. Thank you NASPA, ACPA, ACUOHI, ACHA, and many, many more.
- Finally, the Ohio Department of Education has offered a number of resources for educators at this site.
In closing, I’m struck by how I’m (working on) finding beauty in Holland. I invite you to think of the tulips amid the ever-changing plans and difficulties of social distancing. They are out there, but we certainly have to adjust our approach to this new destination. Stay well as you work to navigate our new destination.