So, things have gone a little off course lately. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t exactly see 2020 going the way of a global pandemic shutting down shops and restaurants, or being kicked off campus, which for me meant having to leave America. But that’s where we’re at. And as easy as it is to sit and rant or complain and moan about the way things have gone, it’s not really going to get us anywhere. Really, the best solution to anything like this is to keep our spirits up (as hard as that is to do), keep as busy as you can and honestly wait for the tides to turn. This will pass as everything does and the only thing you can really do is try and not go insane whilst we’re all stuck indoors. Back in the UK, we’ve been on official government-imposed lockdown for the past two weeks now, and here are some of the things I’ve been trying to keep in mind through all of this.
Keep your body as healthy as you can
With the virus spreading as fast and as far as it now, there is a lot of (justified) paranoia going around every time someone coughs or sneezes. I’m sure you’ve done the awkward half shuffle away from the person on the bus when they cough into their hand or blow their nose a bit too loudly. Now we’re stuck inside, the way you can keep your body healthiest is to maintain a sense of normality. It can be really easy to use this time as an excuse to slack off and eat rubbish and not do any exercise, but honestly that’s going to put you in worse shape for fighting off any kind of infection, and just make you feel run down in the process. You’ll feel best if you use this time actively, making sure to either exercise indoors or take a (socially distanced) walk with someone from your household every now and then. It will be a breath of fresh air (literally) and will also hopefully refresh your mind a little. If you don’t want to go outside, maybe try searching for some at home workout activities or even pull out ‘Just Dance’ or some other kind of video game that gets your limbs more involved. Keep yourself moving as much as you can, even if you feel like stopping.
Look after your mind
So looking after your body will definitely help with this. Just today my Mum managed to drag me out on a walk with the reminder that exercise releases endorphins, which will help you feel happier for the inevitable long hours of this lockdown. Taking care of yourself during this time is so so important and that includes keeping in check with your mental health. If you usually see someone professional for this, lots of people have started to move their services online so you may still be able to reach out over the phone, or take advantage of your new Stony Brook license on Zoom! But regardless, just take a moment to check in with yourself. You don’t have to feel happy 24/7, it isn’t a happy time. Pretty much everyone has had something canceled, or postponed because of this and you are allowed to feel frustrated and upset about this. But a bit of tough love- there is no point dwelling on it. This isn’t the 2020 you wanted, but it is the 2020 you’ve got. So try and not let yourself sink too much because it will only make this time harder. It’s a balance of recognizing that you are going through a loss, and I’ve already talked about grief before- this is just another kind. You’re grieving what you thought the next few months, or year would look like. And that can be rough on your state of mind. But, you’ll feel better if you allow yourself to accept reality for what it is right now.
You are in charge of your perception
It comes down to this really: one of the main things a lot of us are struggling with right now is that this whole situation is completely out of our control. It’s unpredictable and fluid, and ever-changing, and that leaves us without a lot of grounding to hold onto. Couple that with the amount of false news and media influx we’re receiving about it daily on the TV, laptop and even straight to your phone- it can make it all seem overwhelming. My friend joked when we were on FaceTime, ‘what are we all going to talk about when this is over? None of us have done anything!’ And it’s true, our options are limited right now. So focus on what you have control over.
- Don’t check the news obsessively: I limit myself to once in the morning, and once in the evening. That way you are up to date on any developments without stressing yourself out constantly.
- Use this time as productively as you can: Whether that be, taking up a new hobby, finishing the project you always started but never got around to completing, or getting on top of schoolwork.
- Appreciate what you have around you: A lot of us have had to move back home and in with family etc. during this time. And yes, it can be annoying to not be able to see any of your friends but try and appreciate the time with your family.
- Remember this is temporary: Bad things often feel like they’ll last forever; it’s part of the reason of what makes them so bad. But as cliche as it is, nothing lasts forever and there will be a time where this will be a bizarre weird memory to tell people in the future. It will be a recollection when you’re sat ’round with friends,remembering when you all couldn’t see each other, or when you’re at the shops thinking about a time even popping to the mall was a risk. And we’ll appreciate it more.
There will be good that follows this and until then we are all going through this together.