“It’s okay if progress looks different in this season.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
At the moment, the Coronavirus is the topic of almost every conversation. We are living through incredibly uncertain, often confusing, and panic-riddled times. Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a community and do what we can, where we can, to limit the spread of this pandemic. In South Africa, our President has suspended university attendance and asked those who can, to practice social distancing, which is a vital contributor to flattening the curve.
So, now that we don’t have lectures to attend, what do we do now? The “I’m too busy” line that I feel like I’ve been using all year is no longer an excuse. But there are many silver linings to having more time on your hands. Use it as a time of reflection and indulge in all the things that you have not been able to fit into your schedule since the semester started. I am returning to all the things I never get time to do anymore – all the little hobbies, lost passions and quiet moments. Through the panic, these small joys are bringing me back to myself. I hope you can find your small joys and silver linings in a time so fraught with dark clouds. Here are a few ideas to get you inspired:
- Listen to something new
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It’s time to get those endorphins running and groove to some new music (one-person dance parties are a thing!), so you can support the artists that are having to cancel their shows during this time. Tourmaline Berg created a Spotify playlist of local tunes just for you! Now is also the perfect time to catch up on all those podcasts you have been meaning to listen to. I’m currently plugged into the Preloved Podcast by Emily Stochl.
- Read a book
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Yes, reading for leisure is still a thing! This week, I picked up a novel that has been sitting on my bookshelf for ages and started reading. As I sipped on my tea and flipped through the pages, I realised that this was the first time in months that I had time to read for leisure. So, pick up that book you have been meaning to get to for ages, or borrow a book from a friend, grab a cup of something warm and get lost in a literary world for a bit.
- Check-in on loved ones
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Just because you are social distancing, doesn’t mean you can’t socialise. It just means that we have to adjust to new ways of virtual socialising, through video chats, phone calls, and rambling voice notes. Come up with some creative ways to (virtually) spend time with each other – this could mean eating dinner together on a video call or organising a Google Hangout movie date. Checking in on your loved ones is so important, because we are all trying to figure out this confusing time, together.
- Learn a new skill
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This is your reminder to do that thing that you have been saying you want to learn for months, but have never found the time for. Read a book, paint something, write something, follow a YouTube tutorial, cook a meal. No matter how small it might be, just do it! If you are looking for some guidance, Future Learn has some great free courses to get you going.
- Declutter and reorganise
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Use the extra time to deep clean your life and reorganise your space – since you are going to be spending a whole lot more time in it! One great way of starting the process is to do a closet audit – fall in love with garments you had forgotten about, mend the pieces you never got around to fixing and rehome the clothes that you never wear anymore. Simplify your life.
- Watch a series
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So, this one was probably the most obvious option, but I’ll add it to the list anyway. If you were searching for some time to stay in bed and catch up on your favourite series, now you have it! Make the most of your lazy days – we all deserve a break right now.
- Stay on top of your schoolwork
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I don’t want to be that person, who is reminding you to stay on top of your work, but if you are able to do a little bit here and there, I think it might be a good idea. We all still want to graduate and finish this year strong, and once lectures start again, the academic calendar is probably going to be quite packed as we make up for lost time. So, when you feel ready, give a little time to your academics – your future self will thank you.
- Get creative
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Get creative in whatever way creativity comes to you. Maybe you are a writer, illustrator, photographer, singer, guitarist – lean into that and use this time to let your creative juices run free. Create for the sake of creating, with no pressure, no deadlines, no prompts – creativity is a wonderful way of relieving tension in times like this.
- Actively participate in an online community
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In this time of social distancing, it feels like online communities are becoming stronger than ever, which is wonderful to watch. I have seen musicians hosting live stream concerts, yoga instructors doing yoga classes on their Instagram stories and art pages creating daily challenges. Creating and cherishing a sense of community is so important now, and it warms my heart to see safe and embracing spaces being created online. So, whether you are in the mood for a yoga class, or you just want to share the doodle you made, take the opportunity to participate in an online community.
Here’s to creating a new daily rhythm, rooted in intention and a slower pace. But, if you wake up and find that you do not feel like doing any of the things on this list, that is more than okay too. So, be gentle with yourself.
Above all, let us focus on community and kindness – two things that are so important in a time of crisis, and two things that I hope we can all remember to carry forward when we emerge, after all of this, and we are given a chance to start again.