Amidst all that is going south with COVID-19, let’s stop and breathe. Let’s keep the sick and the healthy in our thoughts. Let’s focus some more on the good news. Let’s all take this time to self improve.
While many are still having to leave their homes to work, most college students are now quarantined to their homes. This can be a stressful change as we’ve been on our own routines for nearly 8 months- adapting to the new people around us was hard at first, so give us some time to re-adpat to our homes. With that being said, I am now making my new routine being at home.
I know some may not operate on routines, but I found that with my anxiety it is crucial to stay on one. I have a tendency to fall into an anxious and depressive episode when I have fallen out of a routine. So, the best way for me to manage my online classes is to do my work when I would normally be in the classroom.
It will be easy to want to sleep an extra hour in bed or skip my work for the day, but online classes can be difficult. I went to a university to take face-to-face classes for a reason, as many of my friends did as well. For my high school friends, especially seniors, try to keep on a routine with class work. It can feel easy at the beginning, but as more assignments pile up, don’t let yourself fall off the wagon.
When I was living in the dorms, I worked out 5-6 days a week at either Genesis or St. Mary’s new work out facility. Going from having all the gym equipment I could dream of to coming home and having a few sets of dumbbells means it’s time to get creative! I am still going to aim to workout 5-6 days each week, but my workouts will need to adapt to my environment. Body weight circuits at a fast pace is one of my favorite ways to work out while at home. A hard-core weighted ab workout, videos, and the outdoors are also great options. My dad is also in the process of buying a weight rack for squats and bench- this will help me with keeping at least parts of my workout normal.
For my girlfriends, this is a great time to try those Pinterest finds. Since I have cut my hair shorter again, I have pinned several hair-do’s but haven’t had time to try them. What better time to try them than in a quarantine? Do some house cleaning, closet cleaning, cooking and baking, skin care, and anything else to make your daily routine somewhat enjoyable.
Lastly, I urge all of you to set a goal in the COVID-19 epidemic. I don’t mean an “I want to lose 20 pounds in my two week quarantine” goal. I mean an “I want to journal everyday” goal. Make your goals short term and achievable. For me, I want to drink about one liter of water per hour.
We don’t know how long this will last. All we can do is wait and live to see tomorrow. For now, let’s focus on improving ourselves and staying happy and most importantly healthy. Happiness and health go hand-in-hand, so let’s keep those clean! 😉
Wash your hands. Do things that make you happy. We will find a way out of COVID-19.
*Hydration calculator https://www.camelbak.com/en/hydrated/hydration-calculator
Me + life 