What are you supposed to do when a critique is scheduled, but your students are sprinkled across the Mid-West? On top of that, everybody wants to see each other, but not talk about their work. That's the situation my senior capstone class faced when school resumed after spring break, amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic. The schedule says we have a critique. We should have a critique. Or, not?

The purpose of a critique is to get helpful feedback that moves a student and their project forward. What if the input they need is not about their project, but about facing extreme uncertainties? What happens when it becomes undeniable that the project is less important than the person? You adapt.

Instead of a critique, we gathered weekly over Zoom to hear from wise creators about how to be resilient in uncertain times. Our guests included: Megan Trischler (my wife), who graduated in the 2008 recession. Cole Impari, who is an expert on death and grief (along with trained type designers). Jessica Helfand of the Design Observer. Joshua Jessen, a local pianist. And Mary Pierce Brosmer, a local writer/poet/teacher. I like to believe that these talks, led by the students, offered a little lift in each of our lives. They were moments when school, our work, and senior capstone didn't matter. What did matter was being together as we collectively learned how to be humans in crisis who still have the agency and capacity to create.

Here are a few takeaways from our guests:

Megan Trischler

There are many ways to practice design. You figure that out by walking down many paths. That might mean you find yourself in the deep south running a pie shop instead of working at Pentagram in New York or London.

Cole Impari

While your profession will change. Your purpose does not. When a pandemic strikes, there are still ways to fulfill your purpose, even if your job is threatened.

Jessica Helfand

You are still you. Stay you. Take this time to reflect on the many gifts that you have (not just as a designer). Find inspiration in unexpected places. And, remember, creativity loves urgency.

Josh Jessen

If you have a point and purpose in your art, it's not so tiring.

Mary Pierce Brosmer

The longer I am inside (inner work), the better I respond.

Each of these takeaways points back to the truth that we are people before we are designers. As much time as we practice our profession, if not more, we need to practice discovering the people we are uniquely made to become. We need to go inside and remember our purpose. That may look like journaling, meditating, prayer, walking, talking to others, or a hundred other manifestations. How you find it is not nearly as important as what you discover.

Equipped with purpose. That's how to be a resilient designer in these uncertain times.

Here are a few questions to help you uncover your purpose:

• What makes you angry?

• When do you feel the most yourself?

• What brings you to a flow state?

• What gets you excited?

• What would you do if you didn’t have to make money?

• What's wrong with the world?

• What's broken in your world?

• What do you pay attention to that other people don't?

Ask questions like these. Keep a journal or sketchbook. Occasionally, look at what you write. It's also helpful to ask others for their perspectives.

For my fellow professors (and my future self), here's some advice on opening up your classroom to these kinds of conversations:

• Invite a range of guest perspectives to speak. (Our guests crossed generations and expertise).

• Let the students lead. (The students prepared interview questions and interviewed our guests.)

• Don't feel limited by the tools of the university. (We used Zoom for our calls and Slack for group communication).

• Teaching is a service to the field and our students. (That means projects are still essential, but so are the people.)

• It doesn't take a whole lot of work to open up the classroom. (It's mostly a change of mindset/status quo.)

• Be willing to open up. (It’s not that scary and students respect it more than your portfolio.)