The start of a new semester, like the start of a new year, carries with it so much promise. What will we learn? Who will we meet? How will we, as individuals and as the Salem community, change the world? Perhaps most importantly, how will this semester of learning, growth, and engagement change each one of us?

This semester, though, feels different. How can we embrace a new start when so many of 2020’s troubles still loom large? The COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control while vaccine distribution lags. Unrest in our nation’s capital mars our democratic traditions. Political discord leaves many of us feeling distanced from family and friends. Widespread misinformation, and disinformation, makes it harder to know who to trust, or what to believe.

We also enter this semester needing to refresh ourselves. For nearly a year, we have been living through a once-in-a-century global catastrophe. We have suffered tremendous losses and been alienated from our usual support networks at the very time when we need them most. Never underestimate the toll that takes on us—body, mind, and soul. Please know that Salem faculty and staff are here to support you however we can.

We are living through a momentous period in history and it is my deep hope that this semester at Salem will help us all to forge greater connections and strengthen our sense of purpose and resiliency. May your studies be a respite. May your education help you make sense of these troubled times. May your camaraderie with other students remind you that you are not alone.

May you remember, always, that we are Salem.

Daniel Prosterman

Interim Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs
Dean of the College

It goes without saying that this will be a tough winter, with more than the usual share of challenges. Here a few tips for surviving it:

1. Get outdoors as much as possible.
   • If you’ve been alone too much, meet up with someone for a socially distanced and masked outdoor activity or visit. On the other hand, if you have had way too much togetherness, use outdoor time as an opportunity to spend time alone.
   • Dress for the weather. I have heard it said that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes. Wear layers on both the top and bottom of your body, paying special attention to your hands, feet, and head. (And wear your mask.)
   • If possible, find a greenway, a park, or a safely walkable area and get moving. Listen to music or a podcast or just your own thoughts. Notice nature. Look for and listen to the birds. Watch people. Pay attention.
   • If your time outdoors will be more sedentary, dress even more warmly and take a cushion to sit on and a blanket for your lap. Take a book or laptop or meet a friend (with appropriate precautions) and plan to simply be outside for an hour or so. (Last week, on the day after our first snow, I bundled up and sat in my yard in the sun for nearly two hours, reading and watching the snow melt.)
   • If you have access to a car, it can become a portable sunny spot with a windshield as a heat-conductor! Park, turn off the engine, and enjoy the sun and the view.
2. Make your indoor space as cozy as you can using blankets, candles, or a sunny window.
3. Expand your horizons by trying something new—like a virtual museum tour or concert, a new creative outlet like drawing, cooking or embroidery, or a new sport, like biking or skating.
4. Help someone else by reading on Zoom with a young niece or nephew, by calling an older, isolated relative or neighbor, or in some other way.
5. Express your feelings through journaling, talking with a friend or reaching out to Salem’s Counseling Services. (Email us to make an appointment at counseling.services@salem.edu)
6. Most of all, remember that although this is likely to be a hard winter, it will not last forever. Spring will come, vaccinations will become available, and the pandemic will fade. Until then, take care of yourself as best you can and let us know if you need us. You are why we are here.

Gaither Terrell
Counselor, Counseling Services