Meet Lanie Angelo from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Lanie is a freshman considering majoring in Russian and minoring in computer science. Lanie discusses the ways she manages her wellness while being on campus during a pandemic.
Her Campus: Do you feel that you are able to remain physically active on-campus with the restrictions?
Lanie Angelo: Yes, I do. There are several group fitness classes that have been very fun and easy to register for. Additionally, Wake is a very runner-friendly campus, so it is very easy to squeeze in a quick jog in the morning or head down to Reynolda Village as well. I know that the gyms have recently opened up although I haven’t had the opportunity to go yet, but I think that is another great way to stay active.
HC: In what ways could the administration improve their activity selection to be more engaging? For example, just getting you out of your room or making you feel like an integral part of the college community.
LA: I understand that there have to be a lot of restrictions in place if we want to stay here. I am very hopeful that we are able to remain on campus this semester. However, I think more small-group club meetings and small-group activities, even if there is a pre-registration process, will help. I think that particularly with the club meetings that having them all on Zoom makes it less incentive to join since we are all experiencing a bit of Zoom fatigue at this point.
HC: Do you feel that you have the support on campus for your overall wellness?
LA: Yes, in a more limited way. I know that the Wellbeing Center is open which has been really helpful to some of my friends. And again, with all of the physical offerings, I have had the chance to enhance my physical fitness. Social wellness on the other hand has been a bit more of a challenge for me. I think people are learning to be a bit more creative in creating social activities with the given circumstances. I hope that social wellness will improve with time, but at the same time, I would like to see the COVID-19 situation on campus improve before it gets to the point of a total lockdown. I think by that time, social wellness would be a difficult aspect to rectify. Wake Forest does do a good job of giving its students a lot of different outlets for overall wellness.
HC: If a student is struggling to find wellness activities, what would you recommend?
LA: I would definitely recommend going to the RPM (cycling) classes. It gets the endorphins flowing and I always leave feeling more refreshed than whenever I came. I would also really recommend just getting outside wherever you can and enjoy the beautiful warm weather while we still have it. If possible, just getting off-campus also does wonders. Every time I return from off-campus I do so feeling much more rejuvenated than before.
HC: How do you make the most of your first-year experience while being safe and not feeling like you’re trapped in your room?
LA: I’ve been focusing on getting outdoors as much as possible and making the most of my time. I’ve been trying to implement a healthy balance between academics, self-care, and social time. I try to make Sunday nights my rejuvenation, self-care nights which help me get centered and ready for the week. I am still trying to meet as many new people as I possibly can which is a challenge this year. I’ve tried to change my mindset about this situation, seeing it more as an added challenge to overcome rather than a burden. Focusing on self-care, being patient with myself and others since we are all facing similar challenges, celebrating the little things, and giving myself super small things to look forward to have really kept me grounded during this experience.