I managed to get through my classes after spring break's extension. I sat in my chair with my laptop screen on, showing the 11th week lecture videos posted on Canvas. As I finished my classes early, I grabbed a book and looked outside my window.
This new life I’ve been living these past few weeks has taught me lessons. Thinking about what we are currently facing, I couldn’t help but feel more grateful than ever.
I try to look on the bright side of things in order to heal myself from the constant stream of news about the coronavirus. Here are a few things I’ve done recently:
Doing things I enjoy
I can now calm my head after two stressful semesters. I couldn't have been happier when spring break came. With spring break being extended for another week, I managed to rejuvenate myself.
I get to do my favorite things such as reading books I haven’t finished. I just finished a book called “Anna K: A Love Story” by Jenny Lee, which is a retelling of a modern love story between Anna Karenina and Alexei Vronsky. It's a twist on a classic story.
I also expressed my feelings through art by drawing. I didn’t care if I drew perfectly or not. It was nice to do something I haven’t done for two to three years.
Sorting out my mess
Once in a while, I can be a clean freak, though not to the point where I see dust and I just want to wipe it. I’m more of an organized person. Organizing helps me clear my head, and time goes by faster whenever I’m sorting out my stuff.
Winter has passed and spring is here, so I decided to rearrange my clothes. I try to take out the oversized sweaters and exchange them with lighter sweaters. Organizing helps a lot by sorting out things you want to keep or throw away.
It’s important to organize things because that way there's more space to move.
Reflecting on what I have done so far
Time seems to slow down. Living in quarantine gives me more time to think of what I have done so far. I did a bit of reflection of what I’ve done in the past and what I’ve achieved so far.
On these past two years, I admit that I had my best and worst moments. But after thinking hard about it, I realized those worst moments have taught me lessons, like the fact that I don't manage my time well. Instead of thinking it as a negative, I think of them as part of one of my million experiences.
It’s not bad to stay at home and think about the pros and cons of your life. You get to learn from those bad experiences, and that helps you achieve better next time. It’s also not bad to praise yourself for your achievements, such as joining different organizations or doing well on your homework.
Get in touch with my family, friends and loved ones
Travel restrictions are applied due to COVID-19 and time differences separates me from my family. I can’t go back home to Indonesia this summer. So my parents and I would talk every day through WhatsApp, and we would ask how things were going.
I didn’t get the opportunity to talk with them often weeks before lockdown because I was busy with work. I was so busy that I didn’t realize I hadn’t called my parents in a while.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's released executive orders on staying at home for this past week. Because I have more time, I've been able to talk to my parents more and ask what they’ve been doing. I've been able to talk to my friends back in Indonesia more than usual. Distance doesn’t seem to matter with today’s advanced technology.
