Coping With COVID
Updated: Oct 29, 2021
Wake up. Make a coffee. Maybe some breakfast. Turn in your assignment that was due 12 hours ago. Eat lunch. Only watch half the recorded lectures you were planning on watching today. Eat dinner with your family in dead silence because every single day has been the exact same since last March. Sound familiar? This never ending cycle is one all of us know far too well, a year and a half into the start of this pandemic. Being in isolation can be very taxing on your mental well being, especially if you’re not able to be on campus, which I know is the case for quite a few of you. Here are some common issues a lot of us are likely facing at this time, and my take on what might help.
Spending Too Much Time With the Same People
One thing I know for sure is that no one in this world can annoy you as much as your family at the wrong time. Be sure to let the people you live with know what your boundaries are. Explain how them doing what they’re currently doing is making you feel, and provide an alternative/compromise. If you want them to give you more privacy, tell them. If they’re constantly hovering about your school work, explain to them how that may put a lot of unnecessary pressure on you. Remember that they likely just want the best for you, and probably don’t even know that what they’re doing is annoying / bothering you. Communication is key when it comes to family members.
Feeling Lonely
It’s easy to feel very alone during this time. The importance of it is not under question, but it can be super damaging to your mental health if you’ve been in your house for so long that you barely remember what fresh air feels like. To combat this feeling, try to incorporate some form of outdoor exercise into every day. Things like running, biking, or playing catch with a friend will not only help ease the feeling of loneliness, but your body will thank you as well. Even if you don’t feel like it at the time, you’ll likely feel much better after.
FOMO (fear of missing out)
We’ve all felt FOMO at one point or another. Maybe all your friends were going out on a Friday night and you had a paper due that Monday. Maybe you saw pictures and videos from a concert you weren’t at and regret not buying tickets to. Or in my case, maybe your Instagram feed is full of your friends going back to university, seeing their friends, and you don’t get to. If you’re also in this unfortunate situation, try to make the best of where you are at the moment. Spend time with family, pets, and hometown friends. Reconnect with people you haven’t gotten a chance to, whether that’s in person or over facetime. Do the things you always told yourself you would do, but never got around to. Pick up a new hobby, go thrifting, or bond with an unexpected family member. Try to look at the positives, and remember you’ll be back at school in no time. If none of that helped just know we’re in this together :D
Financial Hardship
Struggling with any financial situation feels absolutely defeating. The worst part is, it feels like there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Remember that nothing lasts forever, and even though it may not seem like it, this is going to pass. Ruminating on negative feelings will definitely do more harm than good in this case. Things that get your mind off of thinking about this, such as Facetiming a friend, finding new TV shows, or taking up a new hobby are great activities to do.
Low Motivation
Personally, I find it very hard to focus on school work when I’m not actually at school. Something that helped me stay on track with my lectures and assignments is having a schedule that you follow daily. Put time aside, Monday through Friday, to do everything school related, and complete assignments ASAP. Try to find somewhere in your house with good lighting, a flat surface, and a comfortable (but not too comfortable, don’t fall asleep), chair. Definitely do not study on your bed! Your brain associates your bed with sleeping, and your productivity will likely be at an all time low on that comfy thing.
Lastly, remember that you are not alone during this difficult time. Reach out to family, friends, or professional guidance if you need to. It may bring you peace knowing that others are going through the same things as you at the same time. I know that seeing unrealistic depictions of influencers and peers being insanely productive all day, each day, has skewed our visions of success, but not every day has to be the most productive, jam-packed, makes-you-want-to-drop-out day. It’s ok to have days where you wake up and do your best.
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