"If you are a student like me and you are stuck in quarantine, I am here to help you make the best out of it. I know you may think that nothing good can come from a situation like this, but I will show you the opposite. With the right plan and strong will, you can be even more productive than before…" -Artiola Mamaj
DO NOT PANIC
This sounds like a cliché, I know. But, panicking will only lock your mind together with you being physically in a lockdown. Focus your energy on the positive things and try to keep calm.
PLAN YOUR DAY
Being in a lockdown will give you tons of free time. It is important that you resist the temptation of watching Netflix all day. Personally, I found out that it is very helpful to make a schedule for my week. This way, you will have the time to do more things and feel accomplished at the end of the day!
PARTICIPATE IN MORE ONLINE CLASSES
While you are quarantined, chances are that you are already taking your college classes online. However, I recommend not limiting yourself to these classes only. You can search up lots of online classes (even free ones) and learn about something new, or something you have been wanting to learn for a long time but did not have the time to. I can tell you that participating in different online classes throughout the day, made me feel like Hermione with that Time Turner necklace; almost as if I was at two places at once.
FIND A NEW HOBBY
The other good thing about a lockdown is finding new things you like to do. Instead of complaining for not being able to do what you like because you cannot go out, find something to do indoors instead. I found that I like beading and beadwork became my new hobby, which turned into a small business later on. You see, quarantine can help you develop a new skill that will come in handy.
COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE
We live in the era of technology and communicating with people should not be an issue, even if you are in lockdown. Call people more than you usually do, socialize more (virtually, of course), join groups and participate in online debates and conversations. This will help you go through the quarantine easier and feel less lonely. Personally, I understood that communicating and socializing helped me with my mental health a lot. So, whenever you are feeling anxious or depressed, reach out to someone and ask for help, because by addressing the problem you might help the other person too. Do not forget, we are all in this together.
PAMPER YOURSELF
Last but not least, treat yourself. What you are doing is not easy and you deserve to relax and have fun. Dedicate some time to yourself on that schedule that you will do. It is okay to let yourself go for some time, as long as you finish those assignments before 11:59…