I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this.
Greetings dear Winthrop!
It was an absolute joy to see so many of you at last Friday's Virtual Housing Day!
Something's been on my mind for awhile now -- well ever since we told y'all you had five days to leave campus. And it's that so many of you have been here before. I'm talking about those of you who had to leave campus very suddenly. Be it personal or academic or both and, yes, that would include y'all who were required to withdraw. I'm just sayin'.
There will always come a time when some of the worst things that happened to you suddenly show up -- and this time is one of them. Only now you get to be in control of the experience: it happened to you, you can use it. You can pull from it in order to get through new and unexpected moments.
I am not at all dismissing the harm you felt, nope, this is not that! What I am pointing out here is the important reminder that the only way out is through and these ways include those stressful, sudden moments that you thought would never serve you. That you thought were moments of criticism or judgment.
Yet here you are, once again, being thrown into a circumstance out of your control.
So I want to say thank you – to the leaves of absence, the required to withdraws. Because, right now – you are among the experts to this experience. To adapting in the moment, to figuring it all out in real time.
And to coming back on your own terms. That includes you, too, seniors. Your return will look like being a Harvard graduate who didn’t walk. You will make your moment from scratch.
And you will tell us how you did it.
I’ll be listening.
Very Truly Yours,
DC
Full disclosure -- I'm behind on a lot of work and every day that goes by I wish we'd had just 24 hours of a full on pause at Harvard but Harvard's gonna Harvard, I'm exhausted, Big misses y'all, so does my mom (there's no one around poorly dressed for the weather for her to fuss about catching colds) and so do I. Cool news, Harvard College is teaming with DailyChatter to provide free, non-partisan, independent daily international news that focuses on current events. To start the week: The Hidden Victim
Below is what I could scrap together this week.
Today is the last day to drop a course (email Sarah at winthropassistant@fas.harvard.edu with your ID and the course number) and check out the news on Harvard Summer School going remote. This was somewhat expected but I know it's still a cold shock to many.
First and just in case this is happening to you: No, you're not wrong, this is your current reality and it is more than okay to flounder and re-prioritize and no, sometimes focusing on work is not what's best for everyone. Whatever it is you are doing to cope is okay because it is your way.
GRATITUDE
Miss the Library? Harvard Library remote resources:including e-books and streaming music.
The Office for the Arts is posting daily weekday videos - Pause for Art - check out a recent highlight: Charlie Albright '11, a classical pianist.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
RESOURCES TO STAY PHYSICALLY AND MENTAL HEALTHY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Courage. Presence. Resilience. (CPR) for Mental Wellbeing. Check out these videos of resiliency tools that may serve you in stressful and disruptive times.
Yoga, meditation, movement and more ... at home! The Center for Wellness & Health Promotion hopes that these online classes and resources serve to replenish and restore.
Get moving with fitness classes. Harvard Recreation has fitness tips and more.
QuOffice Hours (online) with Sheehan and Stone, the directors of the Office of BGLTQ life, online through virtual office hours.
CAMHS will be having a virtual grief workshop starting next week, Grieving Together Open toAll Registered Harvard University Students (Undergrad/ and Grad): This group is an opportunity for Harvard students to support each other in grieving the death of a parent/relative, friend, colleague or similar type of loss. This could be a death for any reason be it a chronic condition, COVID, suicide or any other cause. It may be a recent loss or an old loss that is affecting you at this time. This 4 week group will meet, virtually, on Zoom on Wednesdays: April 22, and May 6, 13 and 20, from 5:30-6:30. The group will be limited to 8 students, to provide sufficient opportunity for sharing/support. The group will be co-led by Marla Allisan JD, LICSW (CAMHS/HLS) and Tammy McLeod (M.A. Pastoral Studies & M.A. Spiritual Formation) of the Harvard Chaplains. To ask questions or register, please email: mallisan@huhs.harvard.edu.
ACADEMICS (from From Harvard College Weekly News)
Academic advisers from the Advising Programs Office are available for Zoom meetings through the end of Reading Period to discuss the new grading policy, to help think through how learning remotely will affect your academic goals, summer planning, or any other general academic progress concerns. Reserve a time.
Join The Academic Resource Center (ARC) and the Harvard College Writing Center for the “Writing Papers from Home” workshop: Register on the ARC calendar.
ARC is hosting a “Writing Power Hour.” An ARC coach and a Writing Center Tutor will be available to help keep you motivated while you work on a writing goal.: Register on the ARC calendar
GOODREADS
You're Single, You Live Alone. Are You Allowed To Have a Coronavirus Buddy?
He served nearly 44 years in solitary confinement. He was innocent of the crime. *please note this is not listed because I'm trying to connect our current situations with INCARCERATION (apparently, some folks have done that? Yikes!), it is just a riveting read.