Fall quarter 2020 was supposed to mark an exciting change from my dull quarantine routine. As an incoming freshman, I couldn’t wait for the quintessential college experience. From shouting the 8-clap during game days to trying BPlate’s famous vegan brownies, I was pratically counting the days until I could step foot on UCLA’s picturesque campus. However, as an international student from Indonesia, I was faced with Visa restrictions and travel bans amidst the pandemic. Because of this, I had to stay isolated within the confines of my bedroom 8,692 miles away from sunny So-Cal. How was I supposed to live my best college life while stuck on Zoom? I felt anxious, hopeless and angry from being robbed of my college experience. So angry.
But enough was enough, and I began to feel tired of drowning myself in self-pity. I had already wasted my first official week, and I vowed to make the most of my first year of university, albeit virtual. I began to embark on a wellness journey to cultivate the best possible virtual college experience.
I first focused on prioritizing my emotional and mental health during these uncertain times. Realistically, I needed to give myself time to process my conflicting emotions before jumping into any unreasonable goals too quickly. After taking enough time to reflect, I began finding comfort in health and fitness. Staying active a few days a week and incorporating healthy eating habits helped me reduce some of the stress in my life. I felt energized and filled with positive energy after my bi-weekly sweat sessions, which gave me the confidence that I was so desperately lacking.
At the same time, since I enjoy a structured daily routine, I tried following a “normal” schedule by planning my outfits everyday, doing my makeup routine and sticking to a relatively consistent sleep schedule. Scheduling and planning my days as if everything was back to normal helped me distract myself from the drastic changes happening in life. I also started to enjoy taking the time out of my day to cook healthy meals. It was a relaxing act of self-care for me, and I found myself utilising cooking as a creative outlet as I pinned hundreds of new recipes to try on my evergrowing Pinterest board.
But not every day was this easy. Some days, I found myself waking up in the late afternoon or being unproductive for hours on end, which stressed me out massively. However, I realized that these insignificant moments were not going to deter my progress on my wellness journey. While it’s nice to have a super productive day of studying, it’s also important to have a Love Island streaming session with a gigantic tub of chocolate chip ice cream here and there. Balance is the key to achieving true wellness.
I also tried to stay as connected as possible to the UCLA community by joining student organizations. While I initially felt intimidated by the massive UCLA community, I found instant reassurance from joining my first campus organization. Joining Her Campus at UCLA helped me surround myself with empowered women. I am constantly inspired by driven, passionate and hardworking girl bosses. The inclusive and positive atmosphere from all the HC members helped me feel at home and find my place in a virtual university setting.
Lastly, I always reminded myself to keep a positive and open-minded attitude throughout this experience. This situation is simply a temporary setback, and one day, I’ll be able to come to campus and experience everything that I didn’t get to in my first quarter. I even started to realize that virtual learning presented unique opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to experience in a physical learning environment. For example, I probably wouldn’t have been able to reach out and connect with as many people. As I can be introverted at times, I wouldn’t have made an effort to stay connected if I didn’t think it was absolutely necessary. Being remote this Fall allowed me to step out of my social comfort zone and reach out to people I wouldn’t have met in different circumstances. I’m incredibly thankful for all the amazing individuals that I have met so far and I truly can’t picture starting my UCLA freshman experience without them.
The amount of personal growth I have experienced in this journey has shaped me into a more confident, happy and self-aware person. As I now enter my thirdweek of the term, I feel only excitement about the possibilities. While I can’t wait to come on campus and soak in the LA sunshine, I am completely and utterly happy with where I am right now, and I look forward to what’s in store for me.