100 Days of Wonder – #60
Today I want to pause to celebrate my students past and present. They’re all absolute stars. Yep that’s the link to the picture. Sorry. But actually there’s more of a link. I didn’t really ‘get’ the importance and value of celebrating success and being told you’re doing or have done a good job. I found the mostly American culture of ‘good job for existing’ level of praise and affirmation quite jarring and irritating the first time I really witnessed it properly during the first Disney trip in 2006. Yep well done, you are an adult and you managed breathe all day today. I thought it was all a bit pathetic really.
But of course that first Disney trip was before I had any genuine sense that just existing could be so fucking hard. I have u-turned on this. Give yourself and others all the praise, love and affirmation you can. Over the last 20 years I have seen over and over again the power that believing in someone can have, the power that saying ‘good job’ or ‘Well done’ can have and I remember so vividly the impact it had on me when life got hard. So you, yep you who struggled to get out of bed today – you’re awesome. And you who spent all day hiding and crying because life is shit right now, well done for getting through today. You who fought your bastard demons today – I see you and I’m proud of you. And for those of you who are happy today, those who had a great day and for whom things are really good. I am genuinely happy and excited for you. (I mean that genuinely but however I write this it always seems to sound sarcastic – not meant to)
So celebrating students. I have finished teaching for this semester and assessment season is upon us and somehow we are collectively making a mess of this in higher education . The anxiety we create is unreal! Assessment should not be this stressful! Sure, nerves are normal but wow society and the education system pile on the pressure. What are we doing? Assessment should be the celebration of learning. It should be a chance to show off the journey and demonstrate mastery of new knowledge and skills. Over the last couple of weeks I have read genuinely insightful work, watched brilliant presentations and had really deep and sometimes heartbreaking conversations. All my students are juggling life in ways that many of us in our privileged academic bubbles can barely imagine and yet they jump through our anxiety inducing hoops and come out fighting for a better world. I am so unbelievably proud of all of them. The kids are alright, you know and I’m never going to stop telling them that.
100 Days of Wonder -#59
Did I tell you about the time I met Spider-Man? Probably not because I don’t really remember. In fact before scrolling through and finding this photo from September 2016 at Disneyland Paris during the race weekend I would have said I have never met Spider-Man.
This happens with running related things. I have enough of a hard time just putting one foot in front of the other and reminding myself that this stupid race over this stupid distance was something I wanted to do, that I have no bandwidth for remembering stuff that happens out there. But I do often remember little snippets of joy. And I think that’s why I like doing stupid long Disney distances and challenges because ‘I know every mile will be worth my while…’ no not that (sorry Hercules) – but you did sing it, didn’t you? Because there is joy and wonder to see everywhere. Some of it through the entertainment on course, Spider-Man with no queue for photos for example or the elaborate mile markers, the music, the people cheering, the other runners. There is joy everywhere early on and then it turns into a just getting it done vibe and then to one of wonder and maybe disbelief that we got this far and then to joy when that finish line is finally behind you. And somehow that is a good metaphor for all sorts including work. The excitement of a new project, the ‘hm a bit bored with this now but getting it done’ phase and the ‘will this never end’ bit before ‘yay, did it’. So that’s a long way round of saying, celebrate the yay I didn’t moments!
So anyway, I met Spider-Man.
100 Days of Wonder – #58
After yesterday’s brain shutdown, I feel better today. There was definitely joy to be had. It was in the conversations with colleagues, the teaching, the individual chats with students and in the black, hot, strong coffee I sipped while finishing off one thing before immediately moving on to the next.
But I had to look for it. Joy wasn’t exactly jumping out at me. Work at the moment is just ticking things off. None of it particularly difficult but there’s just too much of it so I never feel like I’m doing anything properly and I never have time to stop and reflect. I find not having time to reflect (some might say overthink) hard. And I hate the feeling of just rushing from one thing to the next without pause.
Maybe that’s why I am particularly looking forward to Disney World this time. I don’t feel the pressure to do all the things or even anything when there. I’m happy just being. If I can’t really manage to have little brain re-sets during the working day right now then maybe a full re-set is just what I need. 43 days to go and I can’t wait to stand and stare at this view
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