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B-2 B-Well: Navigating the Return—Together

Coming back to campus post-COVID

One year ago, I wrote the column “B-2 B-Well: Navigating the Journey Together.” At the time, I wasn’t sure what to say that would resonate with the uncertainty and fear people were feeling—that I was feeling. This time, one year later, I find myself writing about navigating a new transition, one that is hopeful and joyful, but also brings up feelings of uncertainty: our reemergence into the “new normal.”

Conversations about the impending return to campus are picking up, and it’s easy to get excited about learning in the classroom, hugging our loved ones, traveling, even sitting in a coffee shop (at the very least!). But as I think about returning and reemerging—or by definition, the process of coming into sight—I have to confess there are some less-than-joyful feelings present too. Coming into view after so long in isolation feels fantastic, but also challenging and vulnerable. If we begin to compare our reemergence to others, it may even bring up feelings of shame.

While we are all eager to leave COVID-19 and remote life in the past, one thing I often reflect on is how can we use the lessons we learned over the last year to propel us into the future. The challenges we all encountered—academically, personally—through grief and adaption taught us about our priorities, our needs, and how to move forward together.

The challenges we all encountered [during the last year]—academically, personally—through grief and adaption taught us about our priorities, our needs, and how to move forward together.

What pandemic lesson will you continue to use? For me, it’s the way that, despite being physically distanced, I have actually become more connected in my personal relationships. The creativity of becoming more present and involved virtually in people’s lives has been a silver lining. Being so far away from many of my friends and family, I have developed a deeper connectedness with many of them: Saturday morning coffee with my best friend and her kids over FaceTime, going to virtual birthday, wedding, and other celebrations—including parades! Additionally, I have enjoyed getting to know more GSAS students through our Zoom meetings and plan to continue to offer online appointments to connect and serve their needs.

If you’ve ever met with me, you know I ask a lot of questions. I find it helps me organize my thoughts and figure out how I feel and chart my path forward. In times like this, with a big change on the horizon, a few questions have been buzzing around my mind. How will re-emerging feel? What will be most exciting and what will be challenging? 

Maybe you have been thinking about these same questions, or perhaps you have been focused on other questions GSAS students are facing, such as:

  • How will I reconnect with my advisor, faculty, or other mentors? What about my work–does that need reemergence or reconnecting, too? How can we acknowledge how our work has changed, and how our understanding of workloads and capacity has shifted?
  • What will it be like to reconnect with friends, family, and colleagues? How have they changed, but more importantly, how am I different? How can I show empathy and understand where they are at as we all navigate this transition together?
  • How will it feel to reconnect with physical spaces (i.e., to enter a classroom again, or a lab, or the Boston or Cambridge area)? Some spaces may feel safe and familiar, and others may feel uncomfortable. What if I need support?

So, what do you do with all these questions swimming in your head? Utilize your resources. We at Student Services are here to help you reemerge! Check out the workshops that the Academic Resource Center has planned, make an appointment with us, touch base with your department administrator or graduate program coordinator, connect with a counselor or group at CAMHS, or simply draft that email you have been putting off to your advisor.

I repeat: We are here to help you! 

Now it’s your turn. How are you planning on reconnecting and reemerging? Email your ideas to stuserv@fas.harvard.edu, and we will share them.  

Be kind to and take good care of yourselves and one another. Remember to (virtually) visit B-2 and B-Well!

Photo by Tony Rinaldo

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