Spring 2020: Making a Memorial Week

Back before Spring Break (like a lifetime ago, right?), I added in a Flex Week so that everybody who was having trouble getting back up to speed after Spring Break would have an extra week to do that, or a week off as needed during the rest of the semester. That was on Thursday, March 12.

And now it is Friday, March 20. Everything is different, and it is nothing that anyone expected. Campus is closed except for critical operations. The rest of the semester will be online. It's #StayHomeSaveLives in the middle of a pandemic. I am proud of the decisions that OU is making, and President Harroz sent out an email today about financial relief for students, especially student workers, housing refunds, and a P/NP grading policy. That will help.

But nothing is going to take the place the Spring-that-would-have-been, especially for those of you who are graduating seniors. And even if you are not a graduating senior, of course you all have friends who are seniors. Those of you who are in the Class of 2020 are going to carry that label proudly for the rest of your lives, completing your OU education despite the obstacles that this crisis has put in your path. Nick Hazelrigg of the OUDaily posted this at Twitter, and I totally agree:

And that gave me an idea. You all have learned all kinds of creative skills in this class: storytelling skills, and also technical skills, skills that you can use to express your feelings at this time, and to honor the Class of 2020 in your own ways! So, I've set up another "extra" week in Canvas called MEMORIAL WEEK. (Like Flex Week, credit is already there; it should appear right next to Flex Week.)

What does that mean? The idea is simple: create something to help you remember this time. Maybe that will be about what you are going through now, or maybe it will be looking back at your time at OU — your friends, the campus, your classes, the parties and music and events and all the great things that you have experienced. Instead of doing the usual storytelling and connecting like you would do for class, the idea is to create something for yourself and to connect with your friends and your family, because I know you are missing them.

If you want to put it in your blog, I will be so glad to share it out through the class announcements too. But maybe you just want to do something private, and that's fine too, just for you.

Some of you have experimented with creativity tools like Twine or Canva or YouTube Playlists... and the Tech Tips have lots of suggestions. I will try to add some more creativity tool tips in the weeks to come!

Or maybe you will do something old-school, like writing letters to your friends or your family. You know: paper and pen, envelopes and stamps. Letters they can keep forever.

Anyway, you can see what you are inspired to do... and I hope it will be something to help your hearts in this impossible time.

Okay: I'm going to go add this into Canvas now, so you'll see it pop up there soon. And I am sending out good thoughts to all of you, wherever you are!

When life gets complicated, choose to create.