Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Berry’s food Instagram, @healthy_eclair
The COVID-19 outbreak has uprooted students across the world, thrusting them into online learning and depleting their motivation tenfold. Whether you are fortunate enough to be in your own home, or are trapped in the Plex dorms forced to munch on mozzarella sticks (which should really only be consumed during the hours of 1am and 3am), it is difficult to establish a new routine. But have no fear! I have been perfecting a healthy balance between productivity and self-care for the past three weeks and am here to share.
The first step is to develop a normal sleeping schedule. There is a theory that going to bed early and waking up at the same time each day helps improve your health. Personally, I try to go to bed every night at 11pm––in an ideal world I would be tucked in at 9:30pm with a picture book, but I’m 20 and life is unfair. On weekdays, I set my alarm for 8:00am. These times may vary for each person depending on class schedule, but I recommend trying to come up with a consistent sleep schedule for the week and then letting yourself naturally wake up on the weekend.
Once you have determined when you will be awake during the day, it’s time to figure out how you want to fill those hours. First, block out the times that you have class and then try to establish when you will do your work––I also recommend choosing a specific spot in your house/dorm to do work so that it feels like a separate zone from where you sleep/relax. I like to be the most productive in the morning and early afternoon––you may be rolling your eyes and swearing you are a night owl, but for the sake of having nothing else to do, try out the early bird lifestyle.
I find doing some sort of at-home-workout first thing in the morning really helps me not lose my mind as the day progresses. Whether this be a HIIT circuit (check out @camelathletics, @plantsandburpees, and @rachelgoodeats on Instagram), a run around your neighborhood, or a yoga video found on YouTube (I enjoy Yoga with Adriene), moving your body is paramount to relieving stress. In her New Yorker article “Coronavirus-Quarantine Diary: ‘Yoga with Adriene’”, Naomi Fry writes the following about Adriene Mishler’s videos: “Coming to the mat for a few minutes each day provides a sense of structure and routine that’s otherwise missing in our current shapeless reality.”
This is also a good time to try new workouts in the comfort of your home where no one can judge you for looking like a flailing dolphin. I have decided to try boxing using the Fight Camp app, as well as lifting dusty weights I found in my basement. Perhaps I will feel less daunted by the first floor of the AC after taking these weeks to feel more comfortable and confident in a workout setting. For a less intense workout, I recommend taking a walk in your neighborhood or in a nearby park (if this is allowed in your community). Don’t be stingy with social distancing!
Lexi Pope ‘21 is a certified yoga instructor who normally teaches weekly Buti Yoga classes (a type of power yoga which combines cardio-intensive circuits, dance, and abdominal toning) at Conn’s Athletic Center. She will instead be streaming classes via her Instagram @butibylexi. In an email, Pope explained that “if you can do something, literally anything that gets your heart going to release some endorphins, you will have a clearer mind and better awareness for the rest of the day.” She also recommended making daily goal lists and taking advantage of the online community which is becoming stronger than ever.
If you are at home and have access to a kitchen, now is a great time to practice “adulting” skills like meal prep. Not only does preparing your food at home give you something to do during the day, it will also make you feel good. Disclaimer: a huge personal plug is about to come your way, but if you don’t already follow my food Instagram @healthy_eclair I encourage you to do so, as I post college-student friendly meals with a focus on dairy-free recipes.
Lucie Englehardt ‘23 started the food account @lucieinthekitchen a couple of years ago to share what inspires her in the kitchen. Englehardt explained over text messaging that cooking has given her a sense of control these past weeks: “For me, being healthy right now is being smart with cooking not only through what I eat but also not wasting food.” Think outside of the box and be creative with dinner. For example, Englehardt will jot down food she has in the fridge and pantry and brainstorm how she can make a meal. Not only is this a productive way to cook low waste meals, but it also helps to develop a sense of confidence in cooking without a recipe.
I have outlined the basics to staying physically healthy during this time of isolation, but it is just as important to maintain your mental health by finding ways to stay positive and socialize with others. The first thing that comes to mind is meditating, although I will be honest: when I meditate I just pretend I am going into the Avatar state (if you know, you know). Counselors at Conn are also available online for remote sessions, which is a wonderful opportunity to check in with a professional about how you are feeling amidst this unprecedented/stressful situation that is affecting each student differently. Specifically, the Instagram account @camelhealthpromotion hopes “to provide quality information, healthy stress management strategies, and foster connectedness,” according to CC Curtis, Director of the Office of Wellbeing and Health Promotion. @camelhealthpromotion is planning IGTV live takeovers to discuss mindfulness, nutrition, and other relevant topics. Peer Wellbeing coaches are also available to students if they want one on one advice for creating a new routine, goals, and strategies.
Facetiming weekly or daily with friends is a good way to stay in touch and have a semblance of a social life. You can also view this moment as an opportunity to practice independence and pretend to be an introvert if you are an extrovert. If you are already an introvert, congratulations—you are going to win The Hunger Games of 2020.
It’s all about moderation and combining various activities like watching a new TV show, reading, journaling, sketching, and crosswords with your school work and (virtual) social life. It’s also important to realize you don’t have to cram in all of these new tasks and rituals because everyone is saying this is the time for intense self-care. Haley Nahman, the former Features Director at the online magazine Man Repeller, posted on her Instagram about this exact concept. She wrote, “You don’t have to ‘make the most’ of a global pandemic … The idea that you should and can achieve a sense of order in how you go about your day, work, or general well being is unrealistic. Forgive yourself for feeling scattered, unfocused, and paralyzed.”
Conn’s Office of Wellbeing and Health Promotion agrees. In an email, Curtis expressed,“It is my hope that this shared experience reminds us all about the importance of slowing down, fostering connections and friendships, and leading with compassion. It is important we are grounded by what is truly important to us.”
For years, college students have been suffering from severe burnout due to academic pressures and stress. Funny how a pandemic like the coronavirus is forcing us to take a step back and re-evaluate. I was hoping my semester abroad would instill a new zen in my outlook on life, but perhaps this experience could do the same thing. At least that is what I am telling myself. •
