Object: Bulletin board titled “Take What You Need, Give What You Can.”
Observations: 1) Popular in K-12 classrooms, this display certainly applies to graduate student life, too, and offers inspiration for ways to balance the stress of graduate school, teaching, and other obligations with self-care and care for others. 2) Though first spotted during Thanksgiving Break, its message of kindness resonates still, as we reach the mid-point of finals week and the end of the fall semester. 3) We appreciate the community that our graduate students work hard to foster throughout the year!
Object: Bulletin board titled “Take What You Need, Give What You Can,” close-up on “Take What You Need.”
Observations: 1) Support comes in many forms and from many sources. 2) There is pleasure in the past (“Research old memes”) as well the present (“Go for a walk with a friend”). 3) Several of these suggestions are a perfect match for the winter weather that we’ve experienced during the past few days.
Object: Bulletin board titled “Take What You Need, Give What You Can,” close-up on “Give What You Can.”
Observation: 1) Generosity comes in many forms and from many sources. 2) There is power in helping those you know (“Call a relative to say hello”) and those you may not know (“Donate blood”). 3) Never underestimate the potential for the metatextual (“Put positive sticky messages by someone’s room or office”), especially in an English Department!
— Karin Westman, Department Head
K-State English 