I Said Goodbye to My Students Yesterday
Here’s what I told them as we head into the unknown
Yesterday was the last day of (online) class. At the end of a typical semester, the last day is a bittersweet session. We’re all worn down, burnt out, and excited to finish finals and head into our summers, our adventures, to hit play on the parts of our lives that have been sitting on pause. But we’re sad, for a moment, about the community we’ll lose when we out the door because we know we won’t ever meet quite in the same way again. Inside jokes will be cracked for the final time. Discussions will come to an end.
I didn’t get to say that type of goodbye yesterday. If I had, I would have said. I’ll be here for you for the rest of your college journey; you’ll see me in the halls, in the library. We’ll have coffee. I’ll recommend you for all the big things ahead: jobs, scholarships, travel abroad. I’ll take a look at that history paper, three semesters from now when your thesis won’t take shape. Our community will change, but it won’t end.
This goodbye is different. Partly because we weren’t all together and, partly, because we’re heading not just out of the semester but into the unknown. And it’s hard to know what to say. There’s so much I cannot promise. Will our campus reopen? What will it look like if it does? Will you be there? Will I?
Since there’s so much we don’t know about the future, here’s what I’ll leave you with instead:
Some days will be hard. When they hit, be kind to yourselves. Practice self care. Go outside. Sit in the grass. Pet a dog or cat. Practice mindfulness, meditation or prayer. If you need a nap, take one. But If too many days pass with too many naps, talk to someone. Get some help. We need you.
Some days you’ll be bored. Try a way to be helpful; you’ll feel better. Reach out to a friend. Grab a book. Reconnect with an old hobby. Pick up a new one. Make something. There’s a special sort of joy that comes with creating — regardless of the outcome.
Other days you might feel weirdly normal. Enjoy and appreciate the feeling. Know that normal will become, well, more normal. We’ll find our way out of this. And, while none of us knows what life looks like on the other side, there will be a place for you in it.
When it’s time to go out again, be careful and smart. Stay informed and educated. Use the tools we learned this semester and access quality, non-biased news. Make smart decisions.
We’re living in extraordinary times. So much is out of our control. But whatever the world looks like when this is over, you and your skills will be so needed in it. View the future with a healthy dose of curiosity. You’re living through times your grandchildren will read about in school. There’s an awe factor to that. Take time to wonder, to imagine, to be present.
I hope we’ll meet again before too long. But, in the meantime, I’m just an email way. Thanks for hanging in there for the craziest semester I hope any of us ever have. I am so proud of you!
