This reminds me of "Cuss Time"... quarantine edition. Click the image to read.
|
Let's take advice from Bob Marley this week... and the next. A little song you can hum while you take your exams. |
Here are two audio books that I've been listening to while sheltering in place. Both are written by Navy SEALs. Both men have stories of resilience, bravery, and honor ( a quality sometimes missing in today's world of outrage culture and victimhood) and both men discuss ways that we, as citizens of this great country, can better our lives and the lives of others. Click on the books to the right to discover more about the authors' novels and their incredible journeys (David Goggins is currently an Ultramarathon runner and Dan Crenshaw is a member of the House of Representatives). If you decide to read or listen to either of these books, let me know what you think. |
|
Calm Your College Fears
I know that many of you are concerned about the impact covid-19 may have on the college application process. Keep in mind that everyone who will be applying in your cohort is in the same boat. To try and alleviate some of your concerns, I’ve done some research to find out how colleges are adapting their expectations for the class of 2021.
I know that many of you are concerned about the impact covid-19 may have on the college application process. Keep in mind that everyone who will be applying in your cohort is in the same boat. To try and alleviate some of your concerns, I’ve done some research to find out how colleges are adapting their expectations for the class of 2021.
- Sara Harberson, the former associate dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania and the former dean of admissions and financial aid at Franklin & Marshall College, is now a college application advisor and founder of Application Nation. Her blog post, “The Class of 2021 Will Make History with a New College Admissions Process Due to COVID-19,” offers some insight into what colleges will be considering in light of school closures, no SATs, condensed AP exams, and no grades this year.
- The subtitle for this article from Inside Higher Ed is “Through adopting test-optional admissions and other policies, and online events, colleges strive to reach students.” It primarily discusses the University of California system, but the nation tends to follow decisions made in large systems like California’s.
- IvyWise is an educational consultancy that posted “Coronavirus and College Admissions: How Fall 2021 Admissions Will Be Affected.” This article is thorough and informative and organized by headings like “Interrupted Extracurricular Activities,” “What Will Happen to Summer Programs and Plans?” and “How Applications Will Be Evaluated This Fall.”
Did you know that you can purchase your very own Dr. Anthony Fauci doll? He even comes with a removable red cape! Super!
It won't be shipped until the summer, but who can resist? And of course this appeals to our consumer-driven culture and placates our humanitarian impulses at the same time! Yay! I bought one, and in doing so, am supporting a great cause: combatting COVID-19. (Does this recall a discussion we had about causes in the beginning of the year? And I'm serious, I bought one.) Speaking of satire ... This past Saturday (April 11th) SNL returned, live-ish, from the homes of their quarantined comedians and performers. Reviews are mixed about the show's effectiveness, but there are some clips I think you'll enjoy (if you haven't seen them already). For your viewing pleasure, here are highlights from the show: |
|
|
"How the Coronavirus Has Infected Our Vocabulary" - by Karen Russel
A fantastic musing about our current crisis and our ability to unify through isolation, Karen Russell offers an introspective view of our language and our actions in these uncertain times as she admits that "limbo is a hard place to settle into." Worth a look.
A fantastic musing about our current crisis and our ability to unify through isolation, Karen Russell offers an introspective view of our language and our actions in these uncertain times as she admits that "limbo is a hard place to settle into." Worth a look.
If you read Persepolis, you may remember the chapter devoted to 80s pop-star Kim Wilde. I was never a fan, but I am a fan of this 80s band, whose 87’ hit is making a comeback due to our current COVID crisis… This is R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know it (And I Feel Fine)."
have a listen…
see if you can memorize this lyrics.
have a listen…
see if you can memorize this lyrics.
For those of you who would like a challenge...
I'm going to try this "simple habit" for the next week (March 30th). Given our current circumstances, this could be useful for managing everyday stress or for starting your day off peacefully. Email me at the end of the week and let me know if this works for you. I will update you as well. Also, if you have tried other meditation or mindfulness practices, I would like to know.
I'm going to try this "simple habit" for the next week (March 30th). Given our current circumstances, this could be useful for managing everyday stress or for starting your day off peacefully. Email me at the end of the week and let me know if this works for you. I will update you as well. Also, if you have tried other meditation or mindfulness practices, I would like to know.
Update: So, I completed the 7 Day meditation challenge. Day 4 - Gratitude was by far my favorite, and I was most successful when I completed the meditation in the morning. Hope you enjoyed the Simple Habit series. I’m going to try to do this on my own in the upcoming weeks.
For those of you interested in physics... I'm currently reading Brian Greene's new book, Until the End of Time. Brian Greene is a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and is recognized for a number of groundbreaking discoveries in his field of superstring theory. I've included a link to his interview with GeekWire and a review of the book.
Because where you get your news matters...
When your students introduce you to a poet you can relate to: