Turtles & Transitions

A recent article in the New Scientist, called “The first of many epic journeys” really grabbed my interest.  We likely all know the lengths that green turtles go to lay their precious eggs. But what happens to these new arrivals as they hatch and make their way from nest to beach?  

Amazingly, the eggs hatch under hundreds of cubic metres of sand into a world where the only way is up. The young hatchlings propel themselves to the surface in a mostly vertical fashion, “swimming” in one-minute bursts. As they get close to their destination, they only move at night. This epic journey takes between one and four days.

Of course, I read this with my “transition” lens and could easily see the commonality of factors that support change whether you are a baby turtle or a human.  

For many years I have worked helping students, families and schools understand the opportunities and challenges of change. I also co-host a podcast, “Successful Student Transitions: A time to thrive” and offer a webinar series for students starting university, “Thrive in your first weeks of university.” In these, knowledge about change is shared and support offered to young adults as they leave their school “nest” and emerge into the wider world.

Observations of these young turtles reveal their innate behaviour in the move form nest to beach.  

Transitions take time. I can only imagine that for these tiny hatchings the days of swimming through sand must seem never-ending. It’s not just a quick fix and the change is done. In the podcast and webinar, the process of change is presented; of beginnings when you know you are moving on, the messy middle with all its ups and downs and the end to change when you return to a settled state.

Bruce Feiler, in his years of collating stories of change in The Life Story Project, reminds us that transitions take time, often taking longer than we expect.  

Transitions require effort. Can you imagine the tiny turtles in a streamlined position, getting into the best frame to push though the weight of sand for days? In the podcast and webinar, we help students understand a positive change mindset and explore things that require staying power in the early days of being in a new place. You might want to check out the 8 episodes of the “Lean into Student Life” podcast series where challenges and support for the early days at university are outlined.

Transitions need rest. Hatchlings are using up so much energy moving to the surface and they can’t do it all in one go. They swim only in short bursts with rest necessary to complete their journey. A rest theme continues in our work on transition care and highlighted in the podcast, “Lean into Student Life: Feeling Exhausted?”. In this episode different types of rest are discussed, especially in relation students starting university. Alex Pang, in his book “Rest” makes the point that rest is not the opposite of work, it’s essential for good work to take place.

Transitions are a constant and essential part of our life. For the hatchlings, as the title suggests, this is their first big journey with others yet to come. As they hatch and move to the surface, drive and persistence are needed to be successful. For students leaving school, it’s important to remind them that they have experienced change before. However, some firsts will be part of this process as they make more choices for themselves and take steps to an independent life. Some tasks and ways of being in this transition out of school might also be needed in greater amounts.  Bruce Feiler observes the increasing number of transitions in our modern lives which we cannot ignore. He encourages us to “accept them, name them, mark them, share them, and eventually convert them into a new and vital fuel for remaking our life stories.”

I am wondering what you make of the hatchling’s journey and the transition theme?

What have been important factors in your epic journeys?

Author: Elizabeth Gillies

Resources:

• Bruce Feiler. Life is in the Transitions: Mastering change at any age.
• Alex Pang. Rest: Why you get more done when you work less
• https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/successful-student-transitions-a-time-to-thrive/id1657164378