Human connection - we thrive on it as educators. Relationships are everything in our profession. So, being away from these relationships, away from connection-making for the last two years has been a struggle for many of us. I know I missed the proximity and support of colleagues, that's for sure.
This past week, I had the opportunity to return to the Spring CUE Conference in Palm Springs, California - the first in-person event that I've gone to in the last two years. And while I was excited to be back in the throws of an EdTech conference, a big part of that was being with my people again. I missed catching up with friends that I haven't seen IRL since pre-COVID.
Social media DMs and chats are great, but nothing replaces the in-person connections. It is part of the conference experience.
When I first attended Spring CUE back in 2019, I was so wrapped up in attending sessions and maximizing my conference experience that I missed the opportunity to make and establish connections with educators who were there for the same reasons I was.
This time around, I didn't. I caught up with old friends. I went to events and dinners with colleagues and new friends. I milled around in the hallways, chatting with new conference goers. I lingered after my presentation sessions and answered questions, excited to share my experience with other educators who were just as excited as I was. (All, very big things for me as a self-proclaimed introvert.)
I wasn't rushing to get from one session to the next. I savored the connections made along the way.
Connections help humanize what we've all struggled with and underwent these past two years. Shared experiences are how we move forward after the trauma, grief, turmoil, unexpectedness, and stress of this pandemic. Connections are what bind us.
