Thanksgiving weekend is here. Many of us traditionally travel to visit with family and friends to enjoy our favourite holiday foods and reflect on what makes us grateful. While our Thanksgiving experiences will likely be very different this year, I hope you take the opportunity to celebrate what matters to you.
When I reflect on this holiday, I am grateful for you, this beautiful campus, and our educational mission. It is easy to think that we have little to be thankful for in 2020. Yet there are many important things for which we can be truly thankful – our families, friends and peers who have helped and supported us through these difficult months of the pandemic. And, of course, the public health leaders and frontline workers who have made it possible for us to live in what is currently one of the safest places in North America, if not the world.
As we continue to move through this term, your feedback is extremely important to us. It is our commitment to continue to create a university experience like no other. Please expect to receive a survey in the coming weeks inviting you to share your feedback and comments on your experience to date.
Lastly, please remember to care for yourself and others. Take breaks, reach out for help, connect with friends, continue healthy habits, share your smile, and express your appreciation to those who have helped you. It's often the smallest thing that can make the biggest difference.
Stay well and enjoy your Thanksgiving break!
Peter
Dr. Peter Ricketts
President and Vice-Chancellor
