WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:03.490 --> 00:00:06.180 Hi everyone, I hope you’re all having a good week. 00:00:06.180 --> 00:00:10.650 I’ll start with a few quick COVID updates and end with a story. 00:00:10.650 --> 00:00:13.549 There are now just two weeks to go before Thanksgiving break. 00:00:13.549 --> 00:00:16.691 We’ve seen a recent uptick in cases, which means it’s 00:00:16.691 --> 00:00:21.270 important to be extra careful—especially because we are now in the window where contracting 00:00:21.270 --> 00:00:24.039 the virus here could mean potentially bringing it home. 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:28.470 We are monitoring things closely and will let you know if we have to make any last-minute 00:00:28.470 --> 00:00:31.260 changes, which hopefully will not be necessary. 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:37.340 An important part of helping our students make a safe return home involves pre-departure 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:38.340 testing. 00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:42.750 For students living on-Grounds, departure testing will happen through the regular mandatory 00:00:42.750 --> 00:00:46.650 asymptomatic testing schedule, which will continue through November 20th. 00:00:46.650 --> 00:00:51.960 We will also be testing all off-Grounds students before November 20th as well. 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:56.440 All students should have received information about their testing appointments earlier this 00:00:56.440 --> 00:00:57.440 week. 00:00:57.440 --> 00:01:01.390 If you are a student who receives an early testing appointment and would like to take 00:01:01.390 --> 00:01:07.460 an additional test before traveling, the University will also offer options for voluntary testing. 00:01:07.460 --> 00:01:12.869 You can find more information on our Monitoring and Testing page at the address on your screen. 00:01:12.869 --> 00:01:18.430 It’s important to remember that a negative COVID test is not a free pass—it 00:01:18.430 --> 00:01:21.520 just reflects your COVID status at the time you were tested. 00:01:21.520 --> 00:01:25.939 So please keep doing what you’ve been doing all semester—wearing a mask, maintaining 00:01:25.939 --> 00:01:31.759 physical distance, and avoiding large gatherings—after your test and as you travel home. 00:01:31.759 --> 00:01:36.609 If you test positive for COVID or have been in close contact with someone who has, you 00:01:36.609 --> 00:01:40.079 will need to follow our procedures on isolation and quarantine. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:45.740 We encourage everyone to have a plan for where they would isolate or quarantine if necessary, 00:01:45.740 --> 00:01:50.649 and we will have space available for students living in University housing who test positive 00:01:50.649 --> 00:01:52.600 before they leave. 00:01:52.600 --> 00:01:56.909 Finally, please remember that we are asking all students who go home for Thanksgiving 00:01:56.909 --> 00:02:00.979 not to return until the start of the spring semester, unless Charlottesville is your permanent 00:02:00.979 --> 00:02:06.880 home or you have extenuating circumstances that lead you to need accommodations here. 00:02:06.880 --> 00:02:11.580 Everyone else should go home when in-person classes end and finish exams there. 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:16.060 If you’re an undergraduate, we will be ready for you at the end of January and we can’t wait to 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:17.350 see you then. 00:02:17.350 --> 00:02:22.630 Speaking of next semester, faculty and staff across Grounds are already hard at work planning 00:02:22.630 --> 00:02:23.830 for the spring. 00:02:23.830 --> 00:02:27.320 We'd like to take the lessons we’ve learned this fall and use them to make the spring 00:02:27.320 --> 00:02:30.470 semester the very best it can possibly be. 00:02:30.470 --> 00:02:32.720 But to do that, we need your help. 00:02:32.720 --> 00:02:36.700 If you have thoughts about what worked well this semester, what didn’t, and creative 00:02:36.700 --> 00:02:42.360 ideas about things we can do to make next semester a success—especially as the winter 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:49.260 weather makes it harder to spend time outdoors—please share those ideas by going to the link on your screen. 00:02:49.260 --> 00:02:53.560 While some important decisions have already been made, we are always looking for good 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:56.090 ideas and ways to get better. 00:02:56.090 --> 00:03:00.480 The good news, as I’ve said before, is that we will be starting from a very strong position. 00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:03.810 And I’ll end with a quick story to show you what I mean. 00:03:03.810 --> 00:03:08.810 This past weekend, my wife Katie and I were mountain biking out at the Rivanna Reservoir. 00:03:08.810 --> 00:03:12.520 As we were finishing up, we ran into a group of students taking a picture, without 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:13.520 masks on. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.400 They said hello and we waved to them. 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:19.680 Later, I received an email from one of the students explaining that she and her friends 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:24.050 weren’t wearing masks because they all live in the same house and were staying far away 00:03:24.050 --> 00:03:26.100 from others while they took the picture. 00:03:26.100 --> 00:03:31.115 I tell this story not because you need to email me if I happen see you without a mask. 00:03:31.115 --> 00:03:36.240 But instead because the fact that this group of students went out of their way to explain why they weren’t 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:41.620 wearing masks and how they were still being responsible is one more example of how seriously 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:43.560 so many of you are taking this. 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:47.660 And it’s a big reason why we’ve been so successful as a community up to this point. 00:03:47.660 --> 00:03:52.590 So to the group I saw over the weekend, I appreciate the note as well as the offer of 00:03:52.590 --> 00:03:53.590 cookies. 00:03:53.590 --> 00:03:57.350 And to all of you who have done your part, even when no one was watching, thank you. 00:03:57.350 --> 00:04:02.430 You’ve made it clear again and again just how special this community is and how lucky 00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:05.360 we all are to be a part of it. 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.770 And now, here’s fourth-year Nia Augustine who will be filling in for Zeno in our final 00:04:09.770 --> 00:04:10.770 two episodes. 00:04:10.770 --> 00:04:15.940 Zeno has headed home for the semester to finish out his classes and exams there, and I am 00:04:15.940 --> 00:04:18.639 grateful to him for the fantastic work. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.220 Now over to you, Nia. 00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:26.539 Hey Everyone, it's Nia and I will be taking over for Zeno for the rest of the semester. 00:04:26.539 --> 00:04:32.129 I am excited to be part of the #Youva team, where I can bring to you updates on Covid 00:04:32.129 --> 00:04:33.139 and news on grounds. 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:36.759 Along with some self-care tips to help you get through it all. 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:42.030 In Covid news, last week Zeno and Dr. Meredith Hayden provided a wealth of information about 00:04:42.030 --> 00:04:46.139 potential travel outside of Charlottesville for the holiday and winter break and how to 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.830 keep you and your family and friends safe this holiday season. 00:04:49.830 --> 00:04:54.689 The Return to Grounds site continues to be updated, and has lots more information about 00:04:54.689 --> 00:04:56.919 pre-travel testing for students. 00:04:56.919 --> 00:05:00.879 And while you may be sick of people telling you to get your flu shot, Student Health & Wellness 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:05.409 is making it easier to get it done with a mobile flu shot clinic at the Student Activities 00:05:05.409 --> 00:05:08.120 Building Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.690 Check out their website for more information. 00:05:10.690 --> 00:05:14.150 And while you are taking care of your physical self, don’t forget to take care of your 00:05:14.150 --> 00:05:15.710 mental self too. 00:05:15.710 --> 00:05:18.009 It's been a roller coaster ride of a semester. 00:05:18.009 --> 00:05:22.949 From Covid, to the election, to the regular stressors of being a UVA student, the struggle 00:05:22.949 --> 00:05:24.490 is real this fall! 00:05:24.490 --> 00:05:28.860 With exams looming and the potential for lots of family time coming up, which could be good 00:05:28.860 --> 00:05:34.120 and bad, this is a good time to focus on some self-care and stress-management strategies. 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.669 One practice that I use to deal with the stress of being a 4th year is acknowledging my feelings 00:05:38.669 --> 00:05:40.000 in the moment. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:42.507 Because of COVID, I’m not having the typical 00:05:42.507 --> 00:05:44.490 4th year UVA experience. 00:05:44.490 --> 00:05:47.190 I know there are worse things, but I’m sad and disappointed. 00:05:47.190 --> 00:05:51.910 I allow myself to feel those emotions and in those moments of feeling it all, I try 00:05:51.910 --> 00:05:53.180 not to judge myself. 00:05:53.180 --> 00:05:57.580 So, when you are feeling it all, do not judge yourself or the experiences of others. 00:05:57.580 --> 00:06:00.530 And if you need to scream feel free to do so. 00:06:00.530 --> 00:06:02.840 Just make sure it’s not on the steps of the Rotunda. 00:06:02.840 --> 00:06:06.740 With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s the season to express gratitude. 00:06:06.740 --> 00:06:10.580 Showing gratitude means that you are acknowledging the goodness in your life and when you write 00:06:10.580 --> 00:06:13.909 it down you are able to feel more positive emotions. 00:06:13.909 --> 00:06:18.639 So, one of the other tips is to write 5 things you are grateful for in the morning or at 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:19.639 night. 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:23.460 It can literally be anything, like I am grateful for waking up this morning or, I am grateful 00:06:23.460 --> 00:06:29.819 for my barista at MarieBette for getting my 5% half and half and 95% coffee order right. 00:06:29.819 --> 00:06:35.949 Be kind to yourself, be patient with others, and express your gratitude out loud. 00:06:35.949 --> 00:06:39.050 Speaking of gratitude, Wednesday marked Veterans Day. 00:06:39.050 --> 00:06:43.603 Here is how some of our local ROTC corps paid tribute to American veterans. 00:06:45.289 --> 00:06:50.000 Veterans Day it’s been a tradition here since ROTC has existed here at the school. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:51.680 We celebrate it every year. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:55.020 We really are saying “thank you” to those that have served. 00:06:55.020 --> 00:06:59.759 It’s definitely something that UVA takes pride in and we’re happy that we can still 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.949 do it in person this year. 00:07:02.949 --> 00:07:07.879 What we’re going to be doing is the Air Force cadets, Army personnel and Midshipmen 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:13.409 will be coming in and helping participate in a 24-hour vigil to help remember our POW 00:07:13.409 --> 00:07:14.740 and MIA personnel. 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:16.809 We take a lot of pride in those night shifts. 00:07:16.809 --> 00:07:21.199 It’s peace and quiet and you really get to remember when you’re up on stage marching 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:23.719 back-and-forth this is what I’m doing this for. 00:07:23.719 --> 00:07:28.300 I’m taking an hour of my day to just say “thank you so much for your sacrifices and 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:34.610 your bravery” And to conclude the vigil, we do our Veterans Day Ceremony. 00:07:34.610 --> 00:07:38.849 There will be about 10 distinguished guests and visitors that were invited. 00:07:38.849 --> 00:07:44.430 It’s definitely our way to just say that we respect you and we remember you. 00:07:44.430 --> 00:07:47.650 This is a time that we really come together as a community and say “thank you” to 00:07:47.650 --> 00:07:49.601 all those vets. 00:07:52.749 --> 00:07:53.939 Thank you, veterans. 00:07:53.939 --> 00:07:59.150 In other Thanksgiving news, if you can’t be with family or friends this Thanksgiving, 00:07:59.150 --> 00:08:04.279 the Office of the Dean of Students, UVA Dining, and the Food Insecurity Resource Group will 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:08.030 host its annual Hoos-Giving Meal again this year. 00:08:08.030 --> 00:08:13.979 Last year the University served over 160 students, faculty, and staff lunch on Thanksgiving 00:08:13.979 --> 00:08:19.349 We’ll be doing the same thing again this year from 12-2pm, in the Newcomb dining 00:08:19.349 --> 00:08:20.349 hall. 00:08:20.349 --> 00:08:25.849 There will be options for both in-person socially distanced dining as well as a to-go options. 00:08:25.849 --> 00:08:30.319 More information about this and other upcoming events are available on the student engagement 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.319 calendar. 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:35.430 Now, before we go, let’s talk a little bit about volunteering. 00:08:35.430 --> 00:08:39.060 Even though it might look a little different this year, giving back to your community is 00:08:39.060 --> 00:08:43.810 as important as ever, especially when so many families are struggling with the pandemic 00:08:43.810 --> 00:08:45.880 and with economic hardship. 00:08:45.880 --> 00:08:50.839 Madison House or the UVA Volunteer Center can help you find ways to make a difference. 00:08:50.839 --> 00:08:55.300 There are tons of partner organizations in the community to volunteer at and this week 00:08:55.300 --> 00:08:58.500 we checked in with one of them, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. 00:08:58.500 --> 00:08:59.735 Let’s take a look. 00:09:01.140 --> 00:09:03.600 Loaves and Fishes is a non-profit food pantry. 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:08.019 We are a distribution agency of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:13.240 In April and May we saw a real surge and it was very much tied to the government shut 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:20.190 down of work and so we saw about a 35 percent increase in need from brand new houses. 00:09:20.190 --> 00:09:24.560 We are fortunately able to provide enough food for all the people who come here for 00:09:24.560 --> 00:09:25.560 help. 00:09:25.560 --> 00:09:29.630 Hunger is a need in the area and the virus can scare a lot of folks but that doesn’t 00:09:29.630 --> 00:09:34.140 alleviate the need for people to put food on their tables and someone has to be here 00:09:34.140 --> 00:09:37.029 to be able to serve in that way. 00:09:37.029 --> 00:09:40.579 Our mission is to give food with kindness and compassion and that’s really important 00:09:40.579 --> 00:09:44.279 for Loaves and Fishes is that people who need our help don’t feel like they’re any different 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:45.279 than we are. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.579 That’s deep in our hearts and we want to make sure that everyone who volunteers or 00:09:48.579 --> 00:09:51.560 works here is in the same space. 00:09:51.560 --> 00:09:56.269 So much of life can easily just be focused on myself, but stepping out and serving others 00:09:56.269 --> 00:10:00.060 is something that’s greater than themselves and once you start doing it, it builds on 00:10:00.060 --> 00:10:03.709 itself and you start looking forward to it and you realize the benefits of being selfless 00:10:03.709 --> 00:10:05.260 and prioritizing other people’s needs. 00:10:05.260 --> 00:10:09.640 If you can find time for that I think it will be time well spent and I think you’ll find 00:10:09.640 --> 00:10:10.870 yourself the better for it. 00:10:10.870 --> 00:10:14.370 So anybody who’s interested in getting involved in Loaves and Fishes or any other charity 00:10:14.370 --> 00:10:19.022 in the area, I encourage you to go to the UVA Volunteer Center website and sign up. 00:10:19.022 --> 00:10:21.302 [MUSIC PLAYING] 00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:34.819 Check out the @YOUva team on Instagram or email us at youva@virginia.edu with questions, 00:10:34.819 --> 00:10:36.990 concerns, and good news. 00:10:36.990 --> 00:10:42.529 Some parting words: “You can't fill anyone else’s cup if yours is empty.” 00:10:42.529 --> 00:10:45.000 Thank you for listening and this is Nia Augustine.