Connections Beyond the Classroom

In this time of uncertainty, I have decided to start taking some courses towards a second MEd degree. Part of that process means contacting previous universities for my official transcripts. I sent in my requests earlier this week, and today I got a phone call from the registrar at Université Sainte Anne. She was calling to confirm my birthdate, as she was unable to find me in their system. In my transcript request, I had mistakenly indicated that I was born in 1918, rather than 1981!

In the course of trying to find my transcripts, she mentioned that she was the only one in the office today. I took the opportunity to ask how she is doing, and we ended up having a 20 minute conversation about the struggles we are both facing right now. There are still students living on campus at Ste. Anne, because they are from out of country and have nowhere to go. She's worried about them, and how they are coping being so far from their families. The admissions office staff are taking turns to come in one day per week - they are responsible for wiping down all of the surfaces they touch before they leave for the day. Her husband is a lobster fisherman, and she has had to banish him to the bedroom to watch TV while she works from home the other 4 days of the week - all of the phone lines at Ste Anne have been forwarded to a cellphone with which the university provided her.


If I had just answered her question about my year of birth, and thanked her for finding my transcripts, I would not have made this human connection today. We can all make little connections - everyone is experiencing challenges, everyone has a story. If you have the ability to ask someone how they are, and to really listen and care about their response, do it! The happiness I heard in her voice when I asked her how she is doing being along in the office, when she is used to being surrounded by people, was an uplifting moment in my day.

Not everyone is in a space where they can extend this invitation to share experiences, and that is OK. When you are though, give it a try. We all need some grace and love from one another.