Spring Break is typically intended to be a time to relax and take our minds off of work for a while, however this year due to COV-19 many educators have cancelled their plans, wonder if they will return back to their schools after spring break, and have to think about how to best serve their students in this unprecedented time.
I myself cancelled my spring break plans, to limit having to deal with the chaos, and am so wishing that life would just go back to normal, but I accept that this is the precaution we have to take. For example, I have students, as do many other SLPs, that are medically fragile in the best of times, and it could be potentially devastating for them and their families if they were exposed to/ contracted the virus. I have other students who love to give hugs and may not quite understand why a elbow bump is a better form of social greetings right now, but this is our current reality.
It is also my CF (clinical fellowship year and the year that qualifies us for full licensure) and if schools are closed many of us are concerned if we will meet our requirements, but again if these are the precautions we have to take, I understand.
I am supposed to get married in June to my fiancé currently serving in the military, which has caused some stress due him changing stations, and whether or not we will be able to make our wedding date work, but as long as we are together that’s what we care about.
I am finding this to be a time to be grateful about the simple things in life such as having a roof over my head and food to eat each night, as well as a network of family and friends that I can still connect with during this time of social distancing.
So that being said… How do I intend to spend this spring break that could potentially be extended?
-Reading more, I have so many books on my bookshelves that have been waiting to be read for years.
-Cleaning, planning, and organizing to prepare for the upcoming new transition in my life
– Binge watching some new things on my favorite streaming platforms. My fiancé and I discussed having a movie, TV watching club to have something more to discuss than current events.
-Getting off of social media at times and using the time to connect to others, and updating my blog 🙂
-Exercising, even though my gym is closed and some races are cancelled, I can still walk and run and enjoy those things for some peace of mind
-Preparing and making materials for my students, and reading up on current literature to best serve my students
-Being thankful, for what I do have and not dwelling on what I am “missing out on.”
So I encourage you all to take a deep breath and think about how this time of COV-19 can help you better yourself. Here’s to staying healthy and happy during this time!
-HoHSpeechie
HoH Speechie 