7:45 a.m. My alarm goes off. It’s a horrible, grating noise. Why don’t I change that? I think, stumbling into the kitchen in search of caffeine. It should be something pleasant, like birds chirping or a nice waterfall. Not a fire alarm.
I’m dramatic. It’s not quite fire-alarm loud, but I’m just not a morning person, especially given my current circumstances. Recently, I’ve found myself in quarantine— it’s a situation that seemed inevitable, and yet I was still shocked when it happened to me. So naturally, getting up in the mornings becomes a bit more difficult when you can wear pajamas to class and your classroom is a laptop.
As with almost anything these days, reopening during a global pandemic has landed all of us at Union University in uncharted territory. We now find ourselves wearing masks in class, trying to maintain community at a distance and participating online when we can’t be physically present. The pandemic presents us with an ever-evolving myriad of challenges, and all we can do is try and adapt to them. Though these challenges seem daunting at times, the new Director of Health Services, Brittany Hart, is here to help us face them.
After I’ve been adequately caffeinated, I pick up the phone to give Nurse Hart a call—my way of adapting, since I can’t interview her in person. She’s new to her position, and I can’t help but wonder how she’s adjusting given the general chaos.
Brittany Hart, MSN, attended Freed-Hardeman University before pursuing her master’s at Union, graduating in 2012. From there, she worked in primary care, urgent care and cardiology study before making her way back here. Now, she’s on the front lines of an unprecedented situation, guiding students, faculty and staff as we make an attempt at normalcy.
After chatting for a couple of minutes, I ask Hart what it’s been like to enter into such an unknown landscape. I can only imagine the stress and uncertainty, especially with thousands of students converging after being apart for so long. However, Hart seems refreshingly confident despite the circumstances.
“It’s definitely been chaotic, but it’s also been really exciting,” Hart says. “It’s a privilege to be here, and I’m honored to accept the position.”
This perspective of viewing challenges as privileges is a helpful one. It’s different, more optimistic, and we could all use a little more optimism these days.
“Being a frontline worker during one of the worst pandemics in over 100 years is challenging, but it’s a cool experience, and it will definitely be memorable,” Hart says.
True. At least we’ll have some good stories to tell our grandchildren. Still, I know working in such unstable conditions has to be draining at times. “How are you staying positive?” I ask.
“It hasn’t been easy,” Hart says. “There have been a lot of late nights and countless hours spent working on the COVID-19 health plan.” She pauses. “Lots of prayer.”
Over the past couple of weeks, Union has already experienced a handful of COVID-19 cases, and it’s Hart’s job to check up on them. I can hear the smile in her voice as she tells me how students have emailed her Bible verses, which has lifted her spirits considerably. For her, clinging to faith pulls her through the tough times.
“I have faith that God’s in control, and I try to remember that we’re all in this together, and we’re all going to get out of it together,” Hart says.
We hear that phrase all the time these days, that we’re all in this together. It sounds a bit cliché, a little cheesy, but it’s also very true. When I ask Hart if she has any advice for the Union community, she emphasizes the importance of united action and selflessness.
“This virus can be cured with kindness right now. It’s about protecting others, not just ourselves,” she says. “Also, the social distance rule is really important. Keep as many people as possible out of your 6-feet bubble. That’s going to reduce the amount of time people will have to go into quarantine. It also limits the exposure.”
Additionally, Hart highlights the importance of wearing masks.
“They convey mutual respect,” she says. “I know people don’t like to wear them, but they do work. I always say that wearing a mask is better than being on a ventilator.”
She’s right. We’re in a unique situation that requires significant selflessness from everyone, which is sometimes a hard thing to ask of people. We’re relying on each other more than ever to be responsible so that Union can remain open and thriving, despite everything that’s happening.
I look around the small space that has become my temporary classroom. It’s not ideal, sure, but my conversation with Nurse Hart has put my isolation into perspective. The fall semester may look different in a multitude of ways, but a lot is still the same. We still have the privilege of learning, and laughing, and being together, even if not in the usual way. We’re still united in faith, in love, and in this new purpose of keeping each other safe.
“If we can shift the focus from me to we, that is very helpful,” Hart says. “We really are all in this together.”
Photo by Maddie Steele
