Several weeks ago, I stopped posting on Roostervane. I basically shut down my Twitter.
I didn’t want to seem insensitive. People are dying. This is the greatest human tragedy that any of us have ever witnessed (and hopefully will ever witness). Posting about networking, resumes, and choosing a career felt unimportant by comparison.
And it is. This is a horrible tragedy that will touch us all in some way–even if it hasn’t personally touched me yet. So, I’ve been sitting… waiting… existing… fearing… stressing.
A few years ago, I lost a close family member in a car accident. This is what happens. You slip into a strange alternative time, and it feels like life will never move forward or be the same again. And maybe it won’t.
But the challenge is, this will be our life for at least the next few months. This is normal now…
A lot of you are in difficult financial and employment situations. The crisis hasn’t taken away the very real challenges you face. And now more than ever, with unemployment skyrocketing because of the pandemic, people will need to turn their degrees into careers. People are tempted to give up hope for the future. As universities remove even more opportunities, responding to a crisis by shrinking their future and cancelling positions, more of us than ever will need to fight for ourselves and restart our lives… and not all of us can wait until the pandemic eventually dies down.
I can help with this. I’ve spent the last few months writing a book on building a life outside of academia with a PhD. I was planning on expanding what Roostervane offers, and then the pandemic hit. It made me feel like I shouldn’t do things right now. I should stop writing. But I’ve bought stuff from Amazon and paid for my Netflix subscription without feeling like those companies are just taking advantage of a crisis. Selling stuff is what they do.
And blogging and providing career support is what I do.
Roostervane is primarily free, but I am planning to launch my book on May 1–as long as I’m able. And I will keep blogging and try to create content. I wish you and your families well in this terrible time. Care for yourself in any way you’re able. Meditate. Turn off the news if you need to. Check in on the people you love. Life is tremendously short, and more than ever I’m reflecting on what a gift it is.
Take care,
Chris
