Be enough for yourself first- the rest of the world can wait."

Director's Corner

Have Hope - Spring Will Come! By: Dr. kevin Dean

My grandmother made a point to celebrate holidays. Yes, there were the “biggies,” birthday’s, major religious holidays, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s, President’s and Saint Patrick’s Days, to name a few. She also never failed to mark Groundhog’s Day. A master cookie baker and undiscovered artist, she demonstrated a steadfast commitment to producing cookies, often sugar cookies, appropriately crafted for the specific celebratory event. Now as you might imagine, there are multiple “cookie cutters” for celebrations from 4th of July Flags to May Day flowers………but groundhogs? Undaunted by the task, grandma used the side view of a rabbit (also part of her Easter line up) and dutifully broke off the ears as soon as each cookie cooled on the rack. With her careful mix of food coloring into her home-made butter cream icing, turning it brown, Punxsutawney Phil never looked too good in edible form.

I write this on February 2, Groundhog’s day 2021, in the midst of a second day of a record snowstorm to hit the North East. It should be no surprise that Phil did indeed see a shadow and as lore informs us, that means six more weeks; winter will not end soon…….but it will end. As my grandmother mused every February 2, the beauty in and the value of celebrating this particular day comes from the hope……..and motivation………for spring.

February 2 also reminds me of the 1993 comedic film, Groundhog’s Day, staring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, a true must-see on your next snow day. A frustrated reporter, Murray is assigned to cover the lame and tiresome news story of the renowned rodent Phil only to find himself stuck in what soon becomes a never ending rewind of his day. It becomes clear that the more angry and frustrated he becomes from his predicament, the more it seems as his marmot moment may never end.

We are now just weeks away from the anniversary of spring break 2020----- when we all learned the realities of COVID and our lives began to run in slow motion. How can it be almost a full year? The numbing statistics of rising COVID cases and fatalities has become dizzying as has the unending deluge of political divisiveness, racist rhetoric and climate concern. No wonder Phil went back in his hole for at least six more weeks……..might we all wish to join him!

For her 84 years of life, my grandmother never retreated to a hole; she baked cookies. Her youngest sister, my aunt Mae, now 96, lives in a single room in assisted living. I try and do a weekly check in call and was excited to learn that last week she and all her “lady friends” received their second COVID vaccine. She cautioned, “Now you be careful………. and tell your students too, that second shot’s a doozy, it really tuckered me out for the whole day!” (In case she would ever ask, you have been told!). “I sure have never seen anything like this,” she said,

but it isn’t the sirens blaring in the night, the rush to shutter any light from the windows, and the food ration stamps we had during the war………we got through that………we will get through this.”

Motivation is hard in winter. Motivation is hard when an end goal isn’t clear and when it feels you live life on a treadmill that keeps turning and turning in never-ending repetition. But then there is Groundhog’s Day. Winter will end. New growth and opportunities will come. Like Bill Murray’s film character, we will make better sense, see better value, and have greater motivation for life when we allow ourselves the gift of time to see and experience the world around us, to notice what we have walked passed a thousand times and never appreciated. So let me challenge us all to seek opportunities to celebrate, consider contributions you can make in the lives of others, and treat yourself to your favorite cookie!

A Letter From the Editor

By: Jodi Lamborn

I don’t know about anybody else, but this semester seems particularly hard. Maybe it’s because there’s a lot to look forward to in the next few months: birthdays, vaccines, graduation… or maybe it’s because “Senioritis” seems to be hitting younger and younger, especially the more schoolwork we receive online. Now, I know it’s not to be helped; WCU is doing their part in minimizing their effect on the pandemic; however, it has become more simple to push off work to watch your favorite TV show, or even watch your favorite TV show while you do your work, and then all of a sudden, we’re left wondering if we’re actually learning anything at all.

I know that some of us are extra cautious when it comes to staying at home, and to those of you who do rarely leave the house in order to protect yourselves and others, my utmost respect goes to you. I won’t lie to you and say that I haven’t had an indoor dining experience or two despite suggestions to avoid it, but at some point or another, I started to find myself going through the motions of life so much, I developed a lot of anxiety, and then only way to heal sometimes is to regain some normalcy. I guess you’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this, and it’s because I recommend that if you ever find yourself in an anxious state, or an unmotivated state, or a state where doing any sort of work seems more difficult than usual, just get out of your house! Go to a coffee shop that has limited indoor seating, sit far away from others, bring hand sanitizer, and if you please, wear your mask if you’re not actively taking a drink of coffee or having a bite of bagel. Just do it! I promise you, you will feel better an you will start to feel more productive and thus, less anxious.

That is my goal for the spring semester: I have to do what I have to do in order to get by and succeed in school while also keeping others as safe as possible. And if that means going to sit at Gryphon Café for five hours, that’s what I’m going to have to do. If you have any other suggestions for reducing anxiety and maximizing productivity this semester, please email your advice to either myself or Allison, and we will print it in the March edition of HSA Happenings. Continue to excel and please, stay safe.

Sincerely,

Nothing is as bad as it seems.”

Quotes of the Month

By: Jessie Hazell

Hi! My name is Jessie and inspirational quotes are my guilty pleasure. When I’m stressed, I find that writing quotes in my quote-book keeps me sane. I got to the point where I didn’t want to keep writing my own favorite quotes, so I made a post on Instagram asking my followers to send me their favorite quotes. Every few months, I ask for everyone to submit their quotes to me. Favorite quotes my fellow honors students submitted will be dispersed through out the newsletter. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do...

“If your inner light starts to dim, take a deep breath and you’ll begin to boost your happiness and ease your pain. Your light will shine bright once again.”

How your life feels is a lot more important than it looks.”

Opinions are immunity to being told you’re wrong.”

Be somebody that makes everybody that feel like somebody.”

Be ruthless to systems, and kind to people.”

A Covid Christmas Eve

BY: Abbey Shea

It was the night before Christmas, and all through the night, IV pumps were beeping, and ventilators were trite...

Working at a hospital during the pandemic has been an eye-opening experience. I have realized the passion I have for caring and helping people all while feeling terrified and worried for my family and friends’ health. I work as a Safety Assistant at a local hospital where I sit with patients for constant observation. As the pandemic has progressed the mental health patient population has skyrocketed. Isolation, despair, and hopelessness plague our communities. Christmas Eve was an especially hard night to work- I was with a college-aged Covid patient who was suffering with psychosis related to the virus. During a lucid moment he looked me in the eyes, through my layers of PPE, and asked the date. I saw his eyes well with tears as I told him it was the 24th of December and he came to realize he would be alone in the hospital for the holiday. It was a heartbreaking moment, but not a unique one for healthcare workers across the world. Over the past year I have witnessed patients, family, friends, and neighbors miss important moments for their safety. Yet the health crisis has grown. So, as we all continue to feel moments of despair, I encourage everyone to remember the gravity of the situation and continue to protect yourselves and your community by wearing a mask, staying home, and taking care of your mental and physical health.

They call it the present because today is a gift.”

When nothing goes right, go left.”

Art Highlights

Colleen Grant - Sophomore Graphic Design Major

"THE LITTLE CHICKEN"

I've been wanting to mess around with digital watercolors for a while now. Over quarantine, I started playing a lot of farming simulators to manage some stress and have had a little fun with virtual chickens.

For whatever we lose, like a you or a me, it’s always ourselves we find at the sea.”

Accept the things you cannot change and have courage to change the ones you can.”