Dear Students,
Many thanks to the students who participated in the snow person contest! Everyone who participated will receive a prize. Some of the pics were also shared on Wellesley’s Instagram.
President Johnson and I visited some of the residence halls on Tuesday evening and we saw so much evidence of community and connection. Students were hanging out in living rooms, watching the election returns, doing crafts, taking care of themselves and each other. I have also been meeting with students at office hours, at the Student Life Advisory meetings, CG meetings and other times to hear your voices and understand your experience. On a weekly basis I share what I learn with the senior leadership operations team as we weigh the evidence that our community is successfully mitigating the impact of COVID-19 while also creating a community where each student can thrive. I understand that some students are still not happy with the restrictions and I am encouraging students who still have concerns to reach out to their class dean or community director to talk about how we can support your connection and engagement.
What can you do? Since the focus of these letters often tells you about the limitations or restrictions, I want to remind you today that there is so much that you CAN do!
- Go to CE in your residence hall any night of the week
- Propose programs to HOCO or HPs and go to all halls or floor programs
- Run or walk around this gorgeous campus
- Join a student org
- Go to late night at Lulu—grab and go with a blockmate
- Be a rep in your hall and get a fun assignment like birthday fairy or elevator elf
- Sign up to gaze at the stars at the observatory
- Walk the labyrinth
- Learn about the wildlife on campus
- Ride a bike or sign up for a pop up fitness class
- Go swimming!
- Flash mob anyone? Music, outside, social distancing? Yes!
- Sign up for Recreation Saturday
- Take your musical instrument outside and play (solo or with others)
- Roller skate on the Billings/Schneider parking lot
- Work out in the KSC
- Host a virtual escape room or trivia or movie night
- Cross country ski on the golf course (snow required, of course!)
- As always, check out WEngage for other ideas!
And tomorrow, I hope you will join in the post-election community gathering and conversation. As you read in yesterday’s message from President Johnson, the College is organizing this virtual community gathering tomorrow at noon EST as an opportunity to hear from members of the College administration, faculty, and alumnae (including GBH Boston host and commentator Callie Crossley ’73 and Mass. State Representative Liz Miranda ’02!) on the results of the election and their thoughts and hopes for the future of the country. Please pre-register to receive the login information, and I hope to see you there.
Residence hall kitchens open next week one weeknight and one weekend CE shift. We understand the desire for cooking and baking so we have a plan. In order to do this safely, one residential kitchen per Res Life managed hall will be granted to two blockmates at a time. Sign ups are required. Keep an eye out for a specific communication from Student Housing with details on the upcoming pilot of this plan. Call home for your favorite recipes!
More about the restriction to the Town of Wellesley: I have spoken to several students who are worried that if they leave Wellesley for groceries they will be violating the rules. As I mentioned in the last webinar, essentials include groceries, so it is ok to go to your favorite store. That said, if you leave Wellesley you must avoid locations that are red zones and you must practice safe behaviors. To find out where the red zones are located, check out the MA COVID community-level map.
Speaking of MA State changes: Governor Baker issued a new executive order that requires in person dining must end at 9:30 p.m. We want to assure you that late night dining food options will continue to be available with to-go service. Dining while eating at a table will not be available between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. until further notice. The governor believes this initiative is designed to further limit activities that could lead to COVID-19 transmission. This policy takes effect today, November 6.
National First-Generation Celebration: Each year, as part of Wellesley’s tradition, our community takes time to honor our first-generation college students. This year, we are offering a hybrid celebration over the course of a week beginning November 8 and ending on November 14. Our theme “Did you know” will spotlight several departments intentionally working towards removing systemic barriers to ensure all students are thriving at Wellesley. In addition, there are activities throughout the week to promote community. We encourage our first-gen college students, whether on or off campus to participate as your schedule permits. This week is meant to remind you of your resilience and how special you are to our Wellesley community Enjoy this week and have some fun!
Friendsgiving plans are underway! We are not celebrating Thanksgiving this year—we are celebrating Friendsgiving, the Wellesley Way! The dining halls will be decked out, and we invite you to dress up with your blockmates and make this historic moment special! A schedule of events will be released soon, along with the menus that will be available at each hall. And then over the weekend we will have a special program just for you—A plot of land has been identified as a “Fall 2020 Legacy Landscape” and students who are living on campus are invited to plant bulbs together. The bulbs will bloom early in spring in time for you and your sibs to enjoy and reflect on the mark that you have left on this campus. In years to come when you visit the campus you will be able to remember the strength, resilience, and beauty that you created in your fall 2020 experience at Wellesley.
Have a great weekend and don’t forget to get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather.
Sincerely,
Sheilah Shaw Horton
Vice President and Dean of Students
