Zach Lisewski
Getting told to go home and finish classes online seemed unreal and almost a joke to most college students. Many students debated whether or not the email was actually real. How do they expect us to go home and just continue online as if everything is fine? I feel like once I went home, all I wanted to do was watch the news for COVID-19 updates and Netfilx to keep myself from freaking out. With this quarantine, keeping yourself actually busy and not couch ridden can seem really hard. It’s almost a feeling of hopelessness because you want to take this quarantine as time to stay safe, reconnect with family, and stay tuned with all the quarantine shananigans on TV; and really not do much else. As far as school is concerned, you lose your sense of due dates, adjusted assignments, and the learning takes a back seat to the pandemic. That’s where a problem lies… Staying motivated to do anything during this quarantine seems like too much work. Typically when college students go home, they associate that with a BREAK. Even when this quarantine hit we were all supposed to go on spring break and then return for the remainder of the semester. It just isn’t normal to have our “Spring Break” and then have the rest of the semester online… it just doesn’t seem right at all. Although there’s nothing we can do and quarantine is the best option for the safety of everyone, it is essential that we stay as active and motivated as possible through this time. There have been talks of future quarantines as well, so it is better that we address this issue now. That way, we can avoid this lack of motivation in the future. One thing I’ve been doing to keep motivated is trying new things. Since I’ve been home, I started messing around with my guitar again, which is the first time in like 6 years. I’ve been attempting to learn new recipes, because I suck at cooking and with all the free time, why not? I’ve been going on more walks around the neighborhood just to get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air. Facetiming and keeping in touch with old friends is a great way to keep your sanity and to see how everyone is adapting to these new living conditions. Your peers can give advice on how they’ve been surviving this quarantine! So I’ve been listening and this is what I’ve heard has helped others as well as myself.
First, you NEED to have some kind of schedule. You literally cannot sleep all day and feel good about yourself! So my suggestion is to set your alarm for a decent hour (I’m not talking about 7AM), but seriously maybe 9 or 10?
You need to eat, but not all chips on the couch all day long. What would you eat if you were busy going to class? I understand going to the grocery stores sucks right now, but when you do go, grab a bag of apples. They last for a while. You know they say, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.”
Standing up from the couch is not considered a squat. You need to move, and I’m not talking about going to the kitchen to get your bag of chips. Get outside, take walks, shoot hoops…
Social media is HUGE, so use it to your advantage. I’m sure you’ve been checking facebook, instagram, twitter, etc… more than you need to during this quarantine. C’mon, admit it! There are many motivational accounts on all of these platforms that help put a smile on your face and even keep you active. I personally follow an account on Instagram called “today.” The last few posts gave motivational quotes along with simple exercises to do throughout the day. Hold on… I need to do my 15 pushups. Go to “today” and click follow. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I hope this helps. Stay strong and don’t let the lack of motivation get to you!
留言