Pandemics are hard.
We are all exhausted in our own ways. My friends and colleagues who are parents are really feeling stretched thin. Those of us who thrive on relationship and connectedness have had to pivot again and again to find ways to maintain the community that we cherish. While we are all in this boat together, at times it feels profoundly lonely. Over the course of my career, I have prided myself on remembering students’ names and faces. Two years of masking have bested me. As much as I would love to see their smiling faces, I will be among the first to remind them to mask up as they enter a building. This. Is. Hard.
Our students have been remarkably resilient for a very long time — a period that likely feels longer to them than the rest of us. They get only one undergraduate experience, which popular culture promises will be “the best days of their lives.” That this experience is unfolding against the backdrop of a pandemic, among other global challenges, may feel unfair.
I can guess many of the things that you may be hearing from your loved ones.
This is not what they thought it would be …
They are tired, but they will redouble their efforts to be the best students they can be …
Everyone else has figured out [insert challenge here] …
They may be feeling as though they are alone in navigating any number of challenges. They are not. I ask for your help in reminding them that they are not alone. Encourage them to reach out to available resources on campus. If they are not certain where to begin, they are welcome to start with me (hartruthenbeck1@kenyon.edu).
- Cox Health and Counseling Center (including access to ProtoCall)
- The Kenyon Chaplains (Marc Bragin and Rachel Kessler)
- Faculty Advisors
- Student Accessibility and Support Services
- Dean of Student Development Robin Hart Ruthenbeck
- Office of Academic Advising (Dean Thomas Hawks)
This is not an exhaustive list. If a coach, a faculty member, or a supervisor feels more accessible to a student, they can begin a conversation there; that person can certainly help them connect with other resources.
Pandemics are hard, but we are strong.