COVID has changed the way we go about our lives in so many ways. During August and September kids were supposed to be in college. This is an exciting period for every kid, whether this is your first year at your college or you’re going back. But this year, it wasn’t that easy. So many kids chose to attend school from home or defer, but for those of us who came back to campus, some unfortunately have had to move out already. Not only is this really upsetting to many kids going through this right now but it can be very stressful as well, especially if you’re going to a school far from home. Some of my friends at different schools are going through this right now, and because they are out of state students this transition to moving back home is extra difficult on them. I asked them how they’re coping with the stress of it all, and we came up with a few things that you can do if you’re going through this experience and don’t know what to do.
- Talk with your parents or guardians. They will offer you help, help you figure out when you’re going to come home, what to pack and what to throw away, etc.
- Ship some of your clothes and other items home. By doing this you’re saving space in your luggage. If you’re driving home, this will minimize space taken up in your car, but if you’re flying you won’t need to take as many carry-ons or check in as many luggage’s.
- Get a storage unit. If you this is an option you can afford you can keep everything that you know you will reuse when you come back to campus, that you don’t need now that you’re going home. Items under this category can include clothing that doesn’t fit the weather back home, any culinary tools, storage containers, etc.
- Sign up for a zip car. Not a lot of college kids have cars, and for example let’s say you follow idea 3 and get a storage unit, by using a zip car you can drive yourself and drop off your stuff or you can even use it to drop off shipments or get all the essentials you need to move out.
I was inspired to write about this because COVID cases are starting to increase again and several states are imposing more restrictions again in hopes that people will quarantine. This pandemic is very serious and I know I’ve made my own mistakes in not following it at times in the past, but I’ve learned my lesson and I’m hoping more and more people start to take it seriously, if they haven’t been already. A common excuse people bring up is the fact that there is an infinitesimal death rate, however that shouldn’t encourage you to think you’re safe if you contract it especially if you’re young. It can be a painful experience for some people and it can have a lasting impact on your body. But for those who are asymptomatic, that shouldn’t make you feel okay about the situation. If you show no signs of COVID, you can be walking around feeling fine but you’re still spreading it. This is particularly harmful to older people who have the highest death rate. Please be careful, limit the amount of people you’re seeing and be safe whenever you have to go anywhere. If you want there to be a possibility to have life go back to what it used to be, please take this pandemic seriously.