By Heather Watts, Shamim Ahmed, and Kaitlyn Corlett
Somehow, it’s already December… but it’s a December that’s very different for many of us. Family dinners, trips home, visits to our favorite local spots, or holiday festivities – we’re all having to reimagine connecting with the ones that we love while also balancing feeling safe and comfortable in these strained times. In our team we’ve also had many of these types of conversations. Navigating this time week to week can leave us feeling like there’s an endless list to achieve. Sometimes it’s important to take a moment, reflect, and share some thoughts of gratitude as we are in the final month of 2020.
This week each member of our team is going to share a few thoughts of the last nine months, and we invite you to do the same in the comments or in our Facebook group! Whether it’s a moment of learning, what you hope for the future, or even something that you’re proud of – we would love to hear from all members in our community.
So – we’ll start things off!
From Heather:
It has been a year of great learning and growth for my family and I. I went from attending graduate classes at the St. George – University of Toronto, to bring my son’s teacher for four months, to becoming a virtual student myself. I’ve learned a lot more than perfecting my banana bread recipe and Zoom hacks during this time. I’ve learned a lot about myself as an academic, mother and friend over throughout the past several months. As an academic, I crave in-person communication and problem solving; two components of being in the classroom that I miss dearly. As a mother, I have learned a lot about extending grace, to my son and to myself. We are all navigating uncharted waters and need to let kindness and compassion lead the way. As a friend, I have learned how fragile those bonds can be if not nurtured and cared for. I commit to reaching out more, even if it’s just to let folks know they’re on my mind. I am incredibly thankful for this team at the Innovation Hub for consistently allowing me to take risks and experiment. Thank you for your faith, trust and support. I am looking forward to the work yet to come and what we can build in the months to come.
From Shamim:
It has been a difficult year for most of us amidst the global pandemic which did not only affected our health but our lives and livelihoods. But, thanks to my family and this amazing community at Innovation Hub that helped me to not only survive but also to prosper during this challenging year. I have learned so much from Heather and Kaitlyn in Redefining Traditional and received valuable guidance from Julia. I can clearly see the progress I made in terms of my contribution and I know there are so much more left to learn in the coming year. I am also proud of my Facebook posts and blogs that has been continuously shared with you in the last few months. I am also happy to be a part of a research that will help us to think better and broader in terms of Redefining Traditional’s direction in the new year. I am thankful to Innovation Hub team and my community members at the University of Toronto Family Housing who helped me by providing valuable information and sharing their personal thoughts.
From Kaitlyn:
The last nine months have been a bit of a rollercoaster that I have not always navigated perfectly, but I’m immensely proud of. We started this new community so quickly after realizing the immense impact COVID-19; pivoting away from an in-person symposium into a virtual community that continues to grow. Centering student parent voices is something that I’ll always be grateful being a part of. I have learned so much from my teammates and the partners in our community, from their optimism and thoughtful consideration of stories, to highlighting important conversations on inclusivity and equity for student parents. What I’ve learned is to also give myself a bit more leeway, time and kindness when working on these projects. Especially now. We have many ideas for the New Year, but for now some rest & relaxation with my cat Captain Mal – and connecting with my loved ones around the world via Zoom – is next on my to-do list!
From our community and families to yours, we want to thank you for being a part of these important conversations. For engaging each week, dropping a ‘Like’ in our group, or taking a moment to engage with our resources and think about redefining traditional in your area of life. We look forward to continuing to share stories, offer insights, and much more in the New Year. More to come, and more to look forward to in homes of continuing to reimagine the many possibilities for student parents in higher education!
Be safe, be well, and we’ll “see” you in the New Year!
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