Yesterday, I thought I had come down with food poisoning. Like a responsible student, I canceled dinner plans, stayed inside my dorm, and crashed early. When I woke up the next morning with a headache, I planned for the worst and scheduled my COVID-19 test. I was told to get to Student Health as soon as possible and pack clothes for 10 days, as well as attend all my classes and give a presentation worth a hearty chunk of my grade. As I reflect on the chaos that was yesterday, I understand that there are many things I could have done differently to protect my mental state. As a girl who has been through it, I want to share my learnings with all of you.
- Take a breath.
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I cannot stress this one enough. With so many moving parts, it is so easy to get wrapped up in the chaos and start spiraling into everything going wrong. Take two minutes to turn on your favorite song or listen to a meditative soundtrack and breathe in and out. “Everything is going to be okay” just became your new mantra.
- Pack food with you.
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The UVA staff providing food is wonderful as they run around selecting food for every student in quarantine, but imagine someone grabbing items from O’hill without knowing you in the least. The probability that you get food you don’t like is relatively high, so pack for the occasion. I stocked granola bars, fruit, crackers, and some chocolate, and I’m grateful every hour for it.
- Call someone who calms you down.
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Uprooting your life like this can cause crazy stress, with emphasis on the crazy. Walk through all your thoughts, get oriented, and maybe even vent a little by calling your best friend, someone from your hometown, or even your grandparents (I’m sure they’d love to hear from you). If you’re not big into talking on the phone, journaling gets the job done just as well.
- Exert control wherever you can.
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After a long day of everyone telling me what I had to do, I put whatever I could into my own hands. Whether this is reorganizing your quarantine space to fit your needs, setting an alarm for the next morning, or ordering your favorite food for the evening, do whatever you need to do to feel like the reigns are back in your hands.
- Do an online yoga or meditation class.
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I love a good yoga class, and this served as an amazing de-stressor when I woke up alone in a new space. Don’t worry if you don’t like hitting the mat because meditation works just as well to center your breathing and calm the mind. My personal favorites are Yoga with Adriene on Youtube or the Headspace meditation app.
- Go easy on yourself.
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This is not a natural thing for anyone to go through, and putting yourself through the wringer will just make it that much worse. The best advice I ever received was “talk to yourself like you talk to your best friend”, and it has saved me from a whole lot of pain.
If you’re reading this article because the title applies to you, I sincerely hope things turn out for the best. Until then, take a deep breath, be kind to yourself, and try to remember that everything is going to be okay. I found that it is so rare that we get quiet time like this to truly take a step back and reflect on our lives. Take advantage of this time as much as you can. The world is waiting for you on the other side, and, for now, quarantine looks good on you!