Hello, Honors Friends, and happy spring.
There are so many things I could talk about right now and it has taken me some time to figure out how to blog for Honors now that Spring Break is over and we are learning our new normal, so to speak. I know many of our Honors folks have various mental health challenges and so I wanted to tread carefully. This should be a place of support and comfort. Because that's what Honors is.
I was so uncertain that I asked an Honors Student what she would do if it were her blog. This particular student was one that I knew would have a good answer and one that would make this blog easier to write because she is one of those who struggles. She would know what to say.
Or, rather, what not to say.
One thing she said that keeps running through my head as I draft and re-draft this is "Because it’s an honors blog, I’d be hoping for an uplifting statement near the end, as there usually is."
But you know what? I'd rather be uplifting throughout. We know what is going on. We know the grim realities of the world right now. We don't need reminding of that...but we might want reminding about things that are constants and things that we can rely on in these uncertain times. Honors. Even as our Honors community and experiences have been upturned, some things do not and will not change.
So, this is a blog of reminders and of hope. You are part of Honors. That means, you are still part of the Honors family. Honors is still (another) home for you. Honors is everything it should be for you - it just looks a little different right now. But that's okay, because Honors is not only home - Honors is about innovation, curiosity, and forging ahead in spite of and because of challenges and obstacles.
You are not alone and you are not forgotten. Honors is not forgotten. It has moved and changed like everything else, but my 'Honors kids' are still my Honors kids. You know how I know?
A decent number of you elected to take part in the Honors Living History Project**. That project idea came from Vera Whisman - longtime Honors faculty who saw someone talk about a similar idea in a tweet. A day later, the project was born. A day after that, a survey was made. Two days later, people were signing up. Honors means reflecting on what's around us and figuring things out through thinking and writing.
Some of you have emailed or Facebook-messaged me. Some asking school questions, but sometimes just seeing how I was doing. Honors students are still looking after one another. Even from a distance, we are still doing that. I asked some Honors students for help recently and it was amazing how quickly I got answers in the affirmative.
FLCC has an amazing community and Honors is an amazing community within that community. We got this. And, to that end, Honors Club and I want you to stay tuned for a Zoom party for Honors and Friends of Honors. Let's get together and laugh and tell stories and check in with one another. If it goes well, perhaps we can do it regularly. Let's keep the Honors heart beating together. We are NOT alone. Any of us.
And so, I leave you with messages of hope and support. Find me if you need me and I will help however I can. And I will also leave you with one more uplifting thought, messaged to me by another student as we checked in with one another.
"Honors is strong and passionate; we will all get through this."
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