We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lifestyle and has impacted our communities on both the small and large scale. Everyone hopes that all this will be over soon so that we can get back to our old lives, but so far we do not know how long this will last. Some people, myself included, packed a week’s worth of items for spring break to go home, and then were told to not return to campus. Here are some ways I have been adjusting my life back home after leaving most of my clothes, friends, and school environment back in Albuquerque.
Two of the most important things I have discovered since transitioning to taking classes online while at home is setting boundaries and study spaces. I am currently at home with my parents, and they always want to know when I can go on a road trip or what I have to do each day (they don’t quite understand yet that moving classes online is actually giving me more work to do). I tell them when my scheduled Zoom classes and meetings are so that they can put it on a calendar and I tell them whenever I am about to start an impromptu study session with my classmates. That way they know not to disturb me when I am busy with my classes and know the times of day I am open to eat meals with them. I also have two study spaces set up. The desk I have in my room I use for Zoom meetings and for times when I want to be alone when I do schoolwork. The other is a desk set up in the living room, so that 1. my parents don’t get mad at me for being in my room all day and 2. my parents’ presence nearby keeps me accountable and off my phone. Having two study spaces in my house lets me change study environments when I need to when there is no Zimmerman library for me to go to.
Social distancing does not mean you need to isolate yourself inside your house all the time. We should all try to go outside for a little bit at least once a day. As part of an athletic team at UNM, it’s difficult for me to replicate workouts at home because of facility closures and lack of equipment. Although I am unable to train as much as I had when I was on campus, I am able to work on bodyweight exercises and core with a few items I already have at home (yoga mat, stationary bike, water bottles for weights). I am also fortunate to be able to run outside to work on my running endurance, get some sun, and explore my neighborhood. Because it’s still snowing in Montana (where I am right now), I’ve had to move my workouts inside or in the afternoon when it’s warmer, but have been finding ways to move my body and stay active.
Although I am very sad that I am not around my classmates and friends on campus and that many events have been canceled, I am using this extra time for myself to focus on myself and reflect on my goals. I am using this time to learn my class materials more thoroughly, think about possible careers I can go into, and make plans for how to get there. I am also spending time thinking about the kinds of personal projects I’d like to start on once we get into summer. Always connect with your friends over Zoom, Facetime, or social media, but also use this extra time alone to focus on self care and what you want to get out of these strange times. I hope you are doing well and that this gives you some ideas for adjusting to life back home.
Best, Mari Aoki
