I’ve been rereading a lot of Calvin and Hobbes strips since its 40th anniversary a few weeks ago (apologies if that makes you feel old). The nostalgia of the comic strip is a comforting reprieve and a sorely needed invitation to take the world a little less seriously, but it’s also been a useful reflection on the passage of time. While this week is a time to congratulate yourself, your colleagues, and your students for nearing the finish line, it becomes all too easy to forget the smaller moments and insights that made this semester what it was. The payoff comes through a series of panels, one might say.
For myself, these moments happened in the weekly conversations I had with student and faculty partners in IP3, where we joyfully uncovered details that we only noticed when we reflected with others. I hope you have had some similar opportunities to laugh this semester, and if not, that December brings a chuckle or two.