I will never forget the conversation I had during my night class with my anthropology professor last spring. I had been struggling to balance school, health, my internship, and planning for my senior year, all while the pandemic seemed to be impending doom, filled with uncertainty and fear. My professor saw me struggling and offered a piece of advice that has stuck with me and helped me through this challenging period. He said, “Grace, sh*t happens. But the key is to remain resilient because resiliency is what will get you through anything, and everything”. Although I didn’t realize the weight of his words at the moment, they have rung true time and time again over this last year, and I know his advice will continue to remain true even long after the pandemic has ended.
Maybe you’ve been struggling over the last year to make sense of what was supposed to be. Perhaps you’ve had a difficult time adjusting to online school, maintaining your social life, or simply making it through each day. Although this is new territory for us all, I have found 5 simple ways to help me to remain resilient during this time of uncertainty.
1. Prioritize Talking About What You’re Experiencing
Often we can get caught up in thinking that we are alone, and that surely we are the only ones who can’t seem to get it together. Remember that this is a new time for everyone that no one has had to navigate before. Opening up to close friends, family, a trusted mentor, or even consulting a therapist can help you to organize confusing thoughts, reassure you that you are not alone, and help you to alleviate feelings of stress and anxiety. Verbalizing our internal thoughts can help us to better ascertain that our experiences are surmountable and that people are willing to help. During this time, I have personally found that being kind to myself by allowing myself extra social time as needed, has truly helped me to overcome feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes society can make us feel like self-care is equivalent to laziness. However, if you don’t take care of yourself first, you will eventually be unable to cope with future challenges. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others and be kind to yourself.
2.Find Solace in a Routine
With these rapidly changing times, creating a semblance of normalcy may seem more challenging than ever, yet routine helps our minds to be able to more easily process our daily experiences. Waking up and going to bed around the same time helps our body’s natural rhythm to better regulate. Making sure you eat healthy, balanced meals at regular intervals helps our bodies to function optimally. Ensuring that your personal space is free of clutter can sometimes help our minds to feel less cluttered. Dedicating a few hours a day to school, exercise, self-care and social time can also help us to create a more balanced daily routine. As simple as it sounds, it can be easy to neglect the basic elements of having a set schedule. Nurturing your body and mind by creating a safe space for it can help us to feel our best, even when things around us may not seem the best.
3.Know When to Tune-Out
In today’s world, there can be immense pressure to always be online, be informed about every detail about the world, and stay-connected by constantly being on social media. Although the world touts “staying-connected” and “being informed about your daily surroundings” as tantamount, sometimes social media and the news can be overwhelming to the point of obsession and depression. If you catch yourself feeling this way, don’t be afraid to put down the phone, turn off your TV, or close your laptop. You are not a bad person for needing room to rest and recuperate. As much as we like to stay informed about our surroundings, staying in-tune with your mental health and how the information you’re consuming is affecting you, is even more important to create a foundation for healthy daily functioning.
4.Connect With Your Professors and Academic Services
Online school has brought on a whole new set of challenges. Whether it be simply adjusting to the format, navigating various websites and platforms, dealing with technical issues for Zoom, or learning how to concentrate in a virtual world, online school can sometimes feel even more challenging than in-person classes. If you feel like you are floundering in your online courses, don’t hesitate to email your professors, be proactive about communication, and take initiative for asking questions. Much like you, your professors are likely struggling with the adjustments. Your questions may help to guide them in preventing problems and providing solutions for academic and technical questions. Recently, I experienced some confusion about locating the proper discussion boards and deadlines for my online psychology class. By reaching out to the professor, she realized that the discussion boards and deadlines were outdated for the semester and also asked for my input in creating a more easily navigable online forum. Academic services at your school may also be able to provide you with online study tips, virtual tutoring, and provide solutions for ways to navigate online learning platforms.
5. Safely Find Ways to Go Outside
As someone who loves the outdoors, the lockdowns have been a great challenge because it took away what I looked forward to everyday: going outside. (Depending on your state’s guidelines, your level of outdoor activity may be greatly limited, or not very limited. Please make sure to consult your state’s guidelines before venturing outside.) Finding simple and easy ways to get in some outdoor time has proven to be immensely beneficial for my well-being, and given me a way to add some structure and motivation to my daily routine. Whether it be taking a walk around your neighborhood, swimming at a beach or lake, tanning in your yard, watching a sunset, or going on a hike, I have found these activities to be easy ways to socially distance, and get in my daily dose of sunshine, exercise, and peace. Being cooped up indoors 24-7 can start to feel stuffy, depressing, and even uncomfortable. Finding ways to enjoy the beautiful world outside has enabled me to cope with the times. Simply watching the sun come up in the morning, and go down in the evening has been a simple yet powerful reminder to me that the world goes on, and that there is still beauty to be found.
No matter how challenging, depressing, or upsetting these times may be, take solace that we will get through it, and that simple adjustments to your daily routine may make an immense impact on your physical, mental, academic, and social well-being. Resilience is key to any aspect in life, and especially rings true during challenging times like COVID.