Meet first-year student, Kerti Sadassivam, who recently finished 14 days of quarantine in the local Hampton Inn. As a social butterfly and extrovert, Kerti struggled with being isolated from her friends and missed the constant buzz of people on campus. During her time in quarantine, she faced challenges in being motivated to do her schoolwork as well as keeping her energy levels high. However, Kerti has learned a lot about preserving her mental health and she is here to share about her experience and some tips on how to stay sane during quarantine.
Theresa Trinh: What is your year/major at UVA?
Kerti Sadassivam: I’m a first year at UVA! I’m currently pursuing McIntire on the pre-commerce track.
TT: How did you feel when you learned you were going to be in quarantine for 14 days?
KS: Honestly, it didn’t really feel real at first and the fact that I was going to be completely alone for 14 days didn’t hit me until about 3 days in.
TT: What did you do to pass time during quarantine?
KS: I facetimed my friends, painted my nails, online shopped, and caught up on sleep.
TT: What kind of struggles did you face regarding your mental health? How did you cope with them?
KS: I’m an extremely extroverted person, so not being able to vent about my struggles in person to people or even hug my best friend was pretty hard for me. Whenever I’m down, I like to surround myself with people and have a good time, and not having that outlet to get rid of my energy definitely made me sad.
TT: Is there any time during quarantine where you thought you were going insane?
KS: *laughs* YES for sure! I literally was so bored towards the end that I literally took some scissors and cut almost 2 inches off of my hair.
TT: Do you have any tips on how to preserve your mental health and stay sane during quarantine?
KS:
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Stay connected: talk to friends on the daily and give them updates, even if there’s nothing major going on. Your friends care about you, and keeping up with them kills time for sure!
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Find activities to keep you busy: find a new tv show, a interesting book, or even trying out new makeup
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SLEEP!: catch up on those z’s.. (honestly tho, this is may be the only benefit of having nothing to do)
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Stay hydrated!!: no explanation needed
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Do something everyday that makes you happy; whether it be doordashing boba or ordering a cute new dress, do something that makes you smile even if just for a little bit!!
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Stay positive and grateful: think of 1-3 things each day that you are grateful for! (mine were as simple as having a nice shower and not having to deal with dorm bathrooms for a little while)
Original photo by Theresa Trinh
