“Nothing endures but change.”
— Heraclitus
This quote from a 6th century BC Greek philosopher is timely and relevant to events we are all experiencing today. We had to quickly change to offer our courses online with little notice or time for preparation – and we succeeded. We had to implement social distancing and change the way we work, and we have done so well enough to keep Purdue University and the Polytechnic Institute viable and functioning in spite of the change thrust upon us.
One attribute of resiliency is the ability to make changes even when those changes are mandated by nature. This is the time of year when we would normally be preparing for the end of classes, final exams and commencement. We are doing all of that, but virtually. No one could have predicted we would be in this moment … yet here we are.
Take time to reflect on what we have all accomplished over the last few weeks. Take pride in our remarkable transformation to online instruction and social distancing as a form of daily life. And, take heart in the knowledge that, though nothing endures but change, we now have the experience and confidence to be even better prepared to address any new changes we face in the weeks and months ahead.
