Hand sanitizer is not the only thing you’ll need to get through the pandemic

BY: AHMED FARID, STAFF WRITER

Fourth Estate/Alexandria McAlpine

In just a few short weeks, all of us have had our lives completely turned around. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to stop. With that being said, here are some tips that can help you get through the next couple of months while stuck at home.  

Acknowledge that the situation is tough: 

If you’re a senior (like me), if you are in an organization that had a big event planned in the fall (like me), or if you enjoyed covering events for the school newspaper every week (do I even need to say it at this point?), then you were probably disappointed to hear that we won’t be returning to campus this semester. Now, in the grand scheme of things, it seems ridiculous to be upset over the school year. But that’s OK! You need to acknowledge that the current situation is hard and it is fine to get upset over it. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able move on and adjust to our “new normal.” 

Make a schedule for your classes: 

Now what I’m about to say may come as a surprise, but the semester has not been cancelled. I know, I was pretty shocked myself! Despite the overwhelming lack of desire to do any work, we’re still expected to do schoolwork! So, make sure you’re not falling behind by making a study schedule. Even if your professors are not holding online lectures, you could still take the time you met in-person to work on that specific class. That way, it feels less optional and more official. 

Turn off the news: 

Knowing what’s going on in the world is important, but there is absolutely no reason for you to spend the entire day watching the news (and yes, dad, I am talking to you). A number of different applications summarize the news every day, so maybe looking at those could be an alternative if you’re feeling stressed about everything going on. While it is important to be aware of what’s happening, it is equally important to understand that there are things that do not affect you and that you cannot change or fix. So skipping a press conference or two could help reduce negativity in your life. 

Reach out to people: 

While we’ve all been asked to social distance, that doesn’t mean we have to socially isolate. Pick up your phone and text or FaceTime your friends. During this time of uncertainty, you can find solidarity in talking with friends and family who are going through the same thing. After you’ve talked to all of your close friends, then reach out to people you haven’t talked to in a while. Perhaps an old friend from high school or a distant relative you haven’t seen in a while. Go through your list of contacts and I guarantee you’ll find someone in there that you forgot about.

Go out and exercise: 

If you’ve reached the point where you can tell me how many tiles you have in your kitchen, then you need to leave the house. Go out for a walk or a run every day if you can. It’s both a great way to exercise and gives you a much needed change of scenery. You might even run into your econometrics professor when you’re out jogging (true story). If you’re going to leave, make sure to practice healthy distance guidelines when out and about and stay at least six feet away from other people. 

Pick up a hobby: 

Since we all have extra time on our hands, there has never been a better time to learn a hobby. There is surely something out there that you wanted to try but never got around to, and now is the perfect opportunity to do it. However, despite what your friend Karen says on Facebook, you do not have to come out of quarantine completely changed. Put things in perspective. For example, before COVID-19, scrambled eggs was the most impressive thing you could find on my cooking resume. Now I can boast that I have co-baked two cakes and a chocolate pudding. Do I expect to go on Master Chef by the time I’m out of quarantine? No, but I do expect to have a few more culinary tricks up my sleeve.