Transitioning to online school has been very different from normal college life for me. I am a sophomore majoring in Immunology and Medical Microbiology and minoring in Medical Humanities and Health Studies. I also am a federal work study student doing research at the Cancer Institute on head and neck cancer. I am an active member of the American Society of Microbiology. I volunteer at Ruby Memorial Hospital. I am a very busy person during the school year and have a packed schedule during the week juggling all my extracurriculars, schoolwork, and friendships. Slowly, everything came to a halt and I had to learn to adjust to my new normal for the foreseeable future.
I had to learn to take time to continue to do my schoolwork, but as a driven student that has trouble with procrastination this was not to hard for me. Some tips I would have for other students who are struggling would be to try to keep your routine throughout the day the same. Find a comfortable place in your home where you designate your workspace. Take breaks after you have been working for a while. When you are working, turn off your phone and leave distractions in other rooms. Also, remember that your professors are in the same situation and are going to be understanding with your issues.
What do you do with all this new free time you have? Watch a new TV show that you always wanted to watch but never had the time. Read that book that has been on your shelf for years. Redecorate your childhood bedroom. Play board games with your family. Facetime your friends. Play games online with your friends. Go for a walk outside. Do a craft project or bake a new recipe. Remembering that life will get back to normal soon and that everyone is in the same situation as you makes it easier to handle. Take this time to better yourself and do all the things you have wanted to do but never had the time.
My parents and I on a family walk to help pass the time in social distancing and to get some fresh air.