Gareth and I are conference buddies. Seeking each other out at a student affairs conference, hearing about what each is learning in the sessions and hallways conversations, finding time to connect around work and life things, smiling at the annual connection that feels like more. Like many things affected by the pandemic, our opportunity to be in-person conference buddies has been put on hold.
This autumn semester, the University of Winchester comes back together in our cathedral city in the heart of the south of England. We are a provider that boasts our community, both between students, between our staff, and between our staff and students. The city too reflects this community, with all amenities being only a walk away, making everything feel close to home.
I’m a runner in the broadest sense of the word: I can run, and three or four times a week I actually do run – albeit slowly, and not particularly far. Lately, though, I’ve been talking about running quite a lot, partly for practical reasons (I’m training for a half-marathon) but mostly because it provides a bottomless supply of metaphors for life.