March 25, 2020
Wednesday? It’s Wednesday again? I must admit it’s hard to remember what day it is. In some sense, it’s like the movie “Groundhog Day” where I wake up and do the same thing over again. I get up and head upstairs to my new office I’ve been working in for the last 10 days and work non-stop for a full day — often past a full day. I see the same person, the same dog and stay in the same rooms. I work, I take the pup for a walk, I do an online workout, I read or watch television. I go to bed. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
In other ways, every day is different in that I simply do not know what to expect. What new work will there be to do because everything I thought I’d be doing has changed? What news will come out? Will my dog have separation anxiety when this is over? Will I get sick? Will someone I love get sick? How do we protect and care for people? When will this end? The questions roll around my head all day long while I try to focus on tasks at hand. But the bottom line is no matter what we try to do, the reality is all very scary.
All I, or anyone else, can do is simply keep going. Keep going down whatever path is presented to us. We are all on a path right now that is anything but straight, and we can’t see the end. Then again, we never can truly see the end of the paths we’re on. But we keep going. Whatever twists and turns and joys and sorrows are in front of us, we can’t see from this point, but we keep going.
Spartans all over are finding ways to keep going. Every day I learn about some way staff, faculty, students and alumni are adapting and finding creative ways to help in this most unusual time. They’re offering tips for living in a social distancing world. They’re donating time and goods to people and hospitals. They’re doing what they can to care for others and help. They’re treating patients on the front lines. They’re supporting each other. And, they’re still teaching. Now is not the time to give up on teaching our next generation of leaders, lifesavers and world changers. Now, more than ever, our future depends on it.
We will continue to bring you all the stories we can about the incredible work Spartans are doing. I’m getting so many that it’s a challenge to keep up with them all. And, there are still great stories that have nothing to do with the crisis that I know readers will be interested in. Sometimes, you just need a break and want to focus on something else. We’ve got you covered.
For instance, did you live in a West Circle residence hall? Did you ever notice they’re all named for women? Did you wonder who those women were? Wonder no more. To celebrate National Women’s History Month, one of our awesome student interns wrote the lovely MSUTODAY FEATURE: Women of West Circle that explores these pioneering Spartans.
These women, facing uncertain paths, kept going. In true Spartan spirit, they found ways to move forward. Which is exactly what we all need to do right now. Even when we can’t see around the bend and it all feels scary, the best we can do is take a deep breath and keep going. We’ll do this together, Spartans. One step at a time. Keep going. #SpartansWill.
Lisa Mulcrone
Editor, MSUToday
@LMulcrone
Photo by Derrick L. Turner
