{"id":7967,"date":"2020-04-20T13:07:15","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T01:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/?p=7967"},"modified":"2020-04-20T13:07:18","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T01:07:18","slug":"embracing-challenge-and-change-in-the-covid-19-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/?p=7967","title":{"rendered":"Embracing Challenge and Change in the COVID-19 era"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/mark-orams.jpg?resize=173%2C257&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7766\" width=\"173\" height=\"257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/mark-orams.jpg?w=345&amp;ssl=1 345w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/mark-orams.jpg?resize=101%2C150&amp;ssl=1 101w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/mark-orams.jpg?resize=201%2C300&amp;ssl=1 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 173px) 100vw, 173px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A personal message to AUT Graduate Research Students from the Dean of the Graduate Research School<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nsituation we find ourselves in is a major disruption. Things are not as they\nwere for anyone of us one month ago. It seems probable that things will\ncontinue to change and there is much uncertainty for all. As a graduate\nresearch student, your plans may no longer be possible to implement. This is\nunsettling and difficult. Feeling anxious is a natural response. Don\u2019t beat\nyourself up about it. Change is not easy, especially when that change is\nunexpected and what comes next and what we should do is uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are\nsome thoughts that might help you work through the coming weeks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Your \u201cmind-set\u201d is\nimportant<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How you\nframe your thinking is an important influence on how you cope with this\nsituation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Try to focus on what you have,\nrather than what you have lost.<\/li><li>Find a quiet time each day where you\ngo through in your mind all the things you are grateful for.<\/li><li>Find joy in what surrounds you \u2013 the\nsound of rain on the roof, the feel of the sun on your face, the stars and the\nmoon. Embrace that you are alive in this moment and use your senses to fully\nimmerse yourself in this moment.<\/li><li>When thinking about what\u2019s next, try\nto take a long-term perspective. Taking things one day at a time is helpful \u2013\nbut also remember that \u201cthis too shall pass\u201d.<\/li><li>You cannot control or influence all\nthat is happening to you at present \u2013 so try to \u201clet things go\u201d. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Embrace the\nopportunities<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every\nchallenge provides an opportunity. What opportunities does this situation offer\nfor you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The opportunity to slow down. Our\n\u201cnormal\u201d lives are typically so busy, we rush from one task to another. Time is\na great gift and we are being given this right now.<\/li><li>People matter, things \u2013 not so much.\nWe have the opportunity to connect and re-connect with others. Who can you call\nto chat with. Who have you lost touch with who might you reconnect with?<\/li><li>We are living through a major\nhistorical event \u2013 we will reflect on this time and remember \u2013 perhaps not with\nfondness \u2013 but we will remember and share these memories with others.<\/li><li>We have the time and opportunity to\nlearn a new skill (paint, create, learn music, build something, fix something,\nread something, write something \u2026).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Kindness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Show kindness to others \u2013 it will\nhelp them and it will help you. That\u2019s the cool thing about altruism \u2013 giving\nbenefits the giver as well as the recipient.<\/li><li>Be kind to yourself! Graduate\nresearch degrees are difficult and tend to be undertaken by people who are\ndriven \u201chigh-achievers\u201d. These personality types are often very self-critical.\nIf you are like this, remember to treat yourself with compassion and kindness.\nIt\u2019s okay to struggle sometimes. You are human after all!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Re-thinking and\nre-planning your graduate research journey<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of you\nwill be at different stages in your research projects. For some of you, there\nmay be little disruption to your plans. For others, you may be needing to\nre-think your entire research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You cannot\ncontrol everything that happens to you, or your research project \u2013 but you can\nchoose how you react to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Think<\/li><li>Adapt<\/li><li>Be creative<\/li><li>What alternatives do you have?<\/li><li>What opportunities does this\nsituation create?<\/li><li>What progress can you make over the\nnext few weeks?<\/li><li>Who should you communicate with to\nget advice?<\/li><li>Who can you support and help?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember\nthat the research you are involved with as a Graduate Research Student is\nimportant. The challenges this COVID-19 era is placing in front of you may be\ndifficult, but they are part of this \u201cworthy journey\u201d that you are on.&nbsp; It is worth persevering and finding a way\nforward because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Your research helps us improve our understanding\nof the world around us.<ul><li>That improved understanding can help\nus make better decisions, and live better lives.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Your journey helps you grow as\nthinkers, scholars, and people.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>My very\nbest wishes for the coming weeks and months. Remember, you are not alone on\nthis journey. Your supervisors, academic and professional staff in your labs,\ncentres, departments, schools, and faculties are all here to help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Noho ora mai,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/MO-sig.jpg?resize=101%2C34&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7969\" width=\"101\" height=\"34\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/MO-sig.jpg?w=404&amp;ssl=1 404w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/MO-sig.jpg?resize=150%2C51&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/MO-sig.jpg?resize=300%2C102&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 101px) 100vw, 101px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark Orams<br>Dean, Graduate Research School<br>Auckland University of Technology<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A personal message to AUT Graduate Research Students from the Dean of the Graduate Research School This situation we find ourselves in is a major disruption. Things are not as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25771,"featured_media":7766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[102,200,197,148,149],"class_list":["post-7967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-authentic","tag-challenges","tag-covid-19","tag-graduate-research-school","tag-mental-health","tag-wellbeing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/mark-orams.jpg?fit=345%2C514&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p83npQ-24v","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/25771"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7967"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7974,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7967\/revisions\/7974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesislink.aut.ac.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}