Northeastern University College of Science

Dear College of Science Faculty and Staff,
 
Long ago, in a drafty house in Seattle, when the heating came on every morning, our lovely dog Rufus would come over to the vent next to the bed and position his nose into the blowing warm air. After half an hour or so, Rufus would shake off, and put his front legs and head on the bed, so that when I stirred, there were two beautiful, brown eyes looking right into mine. And it was time to get up, for our walk! I could count on Rufus, and the cadence set my morning routine for the years we were postdocs in that little house.

People and many animals set up routines, and a part of the brain called the striatum plays a major role in their formation. Routines and habits are closely connected, with the idea that a routine is a synthesis of several habits, termed ‘chunking’.  As animals begin to learn a new task (that becomes a habit), neurons in the striatum fire continuously. Once the task is learned, the firing becomes clustered at the beginning and end of the task action. This neural circuitry is stable and makes for a habit you don’t need to think about anew each time.

Good routines are really helpful. They can make a secure framework, that takes the edge off having to make the same decisions repeatedly, and free the mind to deal with the unexpected and challenging, to make life easier. For example, the routine of getting a good night’s sleep promotes student learning.
 
The security of a routine can make stress more manageable. This recent articlediscusses how constant stress ages us prematurely and can make us chronically ill. Your routine of cooking a hot dinner, taking a neighborhood walk, doing a little yoga before bed, all can make your mind and body less stressed. As we continue to grapple with the terrible situations in Israel and Gaza, as the Ukraine war extends through its second year, the stress involved is damaging. A routine does not detract from our empathy and involvement with these and other troubles, but it does give needed respite.
 
Please bear in mind the words of our President, Provost and Chancellor, and consistently, as Dr. Karl Reid, our Chief Inclusion Officer wrote: “As a university, we are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community where individuals of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences can thrive, have a strong sense of belonging, and achieve academic, professional, and research success.” In our College of Science Strategic Plan, the first thread is Build a Diverse College where Everyone Belongs. The message is constant. Please look after yourselves and one another, take advantage of university resources, and draw on the helpful, familiar frameworks of your routines.