I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. Lie down on the sofa with a TV remote and a bag of snacks for two days tired. The Fall semester always feels long, in part because the days get shorter and grayer as we go from late August to early December. On top of the calendar and rain, this semester included an election that drew a lot of attention and energy— and now a political transition that’s drawing even more attention and energy. Fall 2024 has been a lot.
Odds are good that spring will also be a lot. In addition to classes, exams, papers, events, internships, jobs, and for some of you graduation, we will have a government unlike any of us have seen.
Added to the pile are issues from AI and climate to criminal justice reform and immigration. There are ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, rapidly unfolding events in Syria, again-delayed elections in South Sudan, an uncertain media environment, ongoing threats from mis- and disinformation, and the list keeps going on.
All of this “a lotness” is why we’re in SMPA. We are here to study, shape and tell the stories that matter. What’s happening in the US and around the world matters. How we tell those stories and who tells them matters. How to effectively and ethically engage in public debate and advocate for change matters.
Nevertheless, I could use a nap.
You already know how important it is to take vacations. Forbes Magazine goes so far as to say that taking a vacation could save your life. Vacations are good for your mental and physical health, and help you be more creative and can inspire you. Sometimes you have to grind. Campaigns are a sprint to the finish, news doesn’t stop, and as speechwriters say “there’s no deadline like a podium.” But you can’t go full-out, all the time. Endless effort has diminishing returns. You make silly mistakes when you’re tired. You default to old patterns rather than finding new solutions. As every athlete knows, you rest when you can so you can run when you have to.
This time last year I encouraged you to spend part of winter break reading beautiful writing about difficult times. You should do that - John Dos Passos’ USA Trilogy remains among my favorites. This year, I also recommend napping with a remote and snacks. Since I’m not terribly good at following my own advice when it comes to taking a break, I asked some smart people I know what they watch when they reach for the remote.
One of the smartest comms people I know said a better idea than reaching for the remote is forest bathing - a Japanese term from the 1980s that means “walking in any natural environment and consciously connecting with what’s around you.” The idea is, of course, an old one. In 1862 Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least — and it is commonly more than that — sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.” (One way to disengage from the bluster of the Fall semester without investing four hours in a walk in the woods is to read Thoreau). Thoreau himself was late to the walking game. Aristotle (of course) famously walked with his students as he taught. Those seeking spiritual insight or reflection away from the relentlessness of the day to day have walked the Camino de Santiago since the ninth Century.
A former college debate partner of mine who is now an author and tech entrepreneur ignored the viewing question entirely. He said that to disconnect, “walk a dog (especially if it is a shelter dog) and interact with humans that want to pet the dog. Let the conversation blossom. Learn something new from these discussions.” Here he is on the other end of conversations with my lovely young wife, Prof. Zoe Beckerman. Zoe and I will sometimes randomly walk around DC, following dogs she wants to meet and we end up talking to the person holding the leash. A lot of my vacation pictures are of Zoe with dogs in Maine, Madrid, Mexico City, and points in between.
When the walks are done, the weather is terrible (as it is as I write this), and you don’t want to pick up a book, don’t be afraid to grab the remote. My friend who recommended forest bathing also recommended the Netflix series, The Law According to Lydia Poet. A former student who is now a senior budget policy analyst in DC said his “comfort watches include The Office, Parks & Rec, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and - for the holidays - Love Actually and Elf.” Zoe, the dog-following professor in the School of Public Health, suggested Call the Midwife, Gilmore Girls, A Man on the Inside, Great British Baking Show, and The Diplomat. My defaults are the Jason Bourne and James Bond movies - I’ve seen them all enough times that I can safely nap and know I’m not missing anything, and know that when I wake up I won’t have to think very hard about what’s going on.
At the end of next week I will turn off the computer in my office, close the blinds, turn off the lights, and pull the door shut behind me. I plan to play in my regular Saturday and Sunday morning pickup soccer games, probably do last minute shopping, walk through holiday markets, spend time (and money) in bookstores, and almost certainly lie down on the sofa with a remote and a bag of snacks. I encourage you to do the same.