Eight Capella PhD learners have grown so close over the past two years, they plan to take a cruise together when they’ve all completed their programs. Funny thing is, most of them have never met face-to-face. Instead, they communicate virtually every day through an online group they started in 2006.
They call themselves “The Squirrels”—a name that came after a rough day when one quipped that they had to be nuts to take on the challenges of earning a doctorate.
All are seeking a degree in psychology, but on the face of it, they would seem to have little in common: They live in 8 different states, and their cultural identities are nearly as diverse.
But they are united in staying positive in the face of the demands they face, and they lean on each other for academic advice as well as personal support. “The eight of us are closer than most siblings,” says Barbara Hausen. “We share ideas, share personal issues, cry together, and laugh together.”
The group started when Hausen met fellow learner Karen Henry online in her first course at Capella. They admired the way each other thought and wrote in their postings, and quickly formed a bond. They met in person 18 months later at a colloquium—one of the three “tracks” that PhD candidates must complete—and were inseparable. From there, they each invited others they met online into the group until they had a stable core.
A distinguishing characteristic is their relentless optimism, which is both a personal attribute as well as a psychological principle for healthy living for them. Karen quotes psychologist Chris Peterson: “What is good in life is not the mere absence of what is bad.”
That doesn’t mean they don’t express themselves when things aren’t going so well—they vent plenty. But they do so knowing that the others will both empathize and give honest feedback.
They all expect to earn their degrees by spring 2010, and then it’s off to what they’re calling their personal “Fourth Track”—a cruise in which they’ll celebrate their success and meet each other in person for the first time.
Some tips from The Squirrels on forming an online support group:
Find people who share your outlook: You might find them in a course, as The Squirrels did, or by popping in to one of the established Capella Communities.
Consider restricting it to 4 to 8 people: More than that and you risk not knowing one another very well. Fewer and you may have trouble posting enough to keep the group going.
Use a free email community: Services such as Yahoo! Groups—The Squirrels’ method of meeting up—and other no-cost options allow you to invite a select group to confer privately.
Keep it respectful: No topics are off limits with the Squirrels, although they often express contrary views on an issue. By staying open to one another’s viewpoints, they can say what they want and know they’ll be accepted.
Have fun: Despite the difficulties of maintaining family, career, and studies, it’s possible to still enjoy life and each other. Find people who feel the same way.
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 am and is filed under Learners. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
