This week was "extended Spring Break." We were supposed to start classes Monday, but instead the students came back to campus to clear out their dorm rooms and move back home for the duration. I spent every day in my office on campus. All the days run together in my memory, and by Wednesday morning I was having trouble remembering what happened when. My floor of the building was nearly deserted, although a couple of faculty who don't have computers at home were around some of the time. I was glued to my desk, getting as much done as I could, as fast as I could. The beginning of the week was frantic, but things settled down as I started to make progress, make decisions, get things out of my head.
I spent several hours in training sessions, Monday and Tuesday. By the end of the day Monday, my student group had cancelled their big end-of-the-year banquet and awards ceremony. By Tuesday I had an alternative plan for the Student Research Symposium I organize every spring. We're going to an online poster session, with students submitting posters and separate audio/video narration files that I'll put somewhere for others to view. I had to set up a new course on our LMS and revise all the dates and instructions, and then email all the faculty about the changes.
I wrote two alternative assignments for my general chemistry labs to do, and recorded short videos for each to walk them through the instructions. That was about half for me to practice recording videos and half for them. I made the first assignment available on the LMS on Wednesday but didn't draw any attention to it (planning to email the class next week) and already two of my students have completed the work on their own initiative.
I sent a poll to all my students so I can set virtual office hours, and 14 had responded by the end of the week. That's about one-third of my classes, and considering they're all overwhelmed, confused, and scared, that's pretty good.
I set up everything I need for the advising and registration period, which also starts next week. Luckily I only have a half-dozen advisees right now. I sent them email explaining how it will work and asking them to make appointments as soon as possible, but no responses so far on that. Well, are we even going to have fall semester next year? Who knows, and I am trying not to think about it.
I spent almost a whole day grading a set of upper-level lab reports that I've had since early March. That class had another report due yesterday and I hate to not finish one set before the next set is due. I hope the students will use the feedback I give them, but at the very least it makes me feel like I'm not falling behind. In a bit of good fortune, two of those students had not yet started a new lab experiment before Break, and the third (it's a small class) had just finished the main part of his experiment. Last week, it became clear there was no way to do experiments remotely. Then yesterday an internet colleague shared a whole set of files for that experiment that I can give to my students and they can use to complete the analysis. I'm not sure the students will be as excited as I am, but I'm thrilled. They won't get to actually do the experiment but they can still do some of the learning. Yay!
On Monday I packed a bag (actually, two bags) of books and stuff from my office and took them home just in case the campus was suddenly closed or the city goes into lockdown and I can't get back. Everyday I drove the two bags to school in the morning and then took them home afterward. I was feeling kind of embarrassed about this paranoia, but then I talked to a colleague who is doing the exact same thing! I left campus yesterday, similar to last week, with the feeling that I might not be back on Monday. Trying to stay calm about it. Reminding myself that at least I have internet at home, and there are worse things than having to stay in my house with all my books and yarn and things.
I'm making a playlist of "don't worry, be happy" songs. It gives my brain something to think about when I wake up in the night and start cycling through anxiety thoughts. So far, I have:
Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by The Beatles
Happy by Pharrell Williams
Que Sera, Sera by Doris Day
Always Look On The Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle (Monty Python)
One day at a time, right?
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