I honestly don't know how any academics are holding it together right now. I feel like everyone I know that actually cares about their students and their projects is in meltdown mode, myself included. I really wish we would all be kinder to each other right now about it.

Like, I know everyone thinks they have it really bad, and you probably do. But I also think it's not as much *their* fault as it is the system and the overall community's failure to be understanding.

This year was certainly not your colleagues' faults, and maybe they weren't as supportive of you because they couldn't be. Everyone is dealing with a lot, some more than others. Some more than they can or are willing to share.

We are in especially difficult positions because our failure to live up to our expectations often means we feel like we are failing our students. While that is accutely true, it is a systemic failure of only providing juuuuust enough (or slightly less) support than is adequate.

I know it can be cathartic to try to blame someone. It is rarely productive in these circumstances and never makes you feel better long term. And rarely is it based in whole truth. I say this as much for myself as for anyone else to read.

Anyway, I have just had so many interactions this past few weeks especially that make it clear we are in absolute over-stress crisis. Every educator that I know who has any honesty is completely fried. I am saddest that it will impact the most vulnerable educators and students.

I also hope we can all forgive our friends and colleagues for harsh words lately. A lot of people are losing control, or projecting. It’s often unproductive and can be very hurtful especially when everyone is vulnerable but I hope we can forgive each other too.