Hi! My name is Rachel from Bristol, CT. I’m currently a senior health studies major with a health promotion specialization at URI. After graduation, I plan on going to school for occupational therapy. This past semester, I had the opportunity to work with the Department of Campus Recreation as a fitness/well-being/health promotion intern. I really enjoyed working with Courtney and gaining some experience related to my major.
Who else is finding it hard to make sense of all of this? Especially at a time when we had so much to look forward to the last months of our semester. This situation has shown us how much we appreciate the little things like running meaningless errands or hanging out with our friends. It’s also beginning to test our overall mental health… Are we strong enough to sit in isolation with ourselves while also staying both physically and emotionally healthy? It’s been a challenge to figure this out, but it can also be a blessing. Who knows when things will go back to normal. The scariest part is that we don’t have much control over these circumstances. The good news is that we do have control over what we do during isolation and the perspective we keep. I’m not saying you need to accomplish huge things during these next few weeks, but instead, take the time to work on yourself inside and out. Here are some ways you can go about doing this.
Set Aside Time for Hobbies
Usually, when we think of self-care, we think of skincare routines, eating healthy, meditating, etc. We often forget this means to do the things we personally enjoy. Set aside an hour or two (or even more) to do something that makes you feel good. This can be baking, painting, dancing, listening to new music, playing a video game, organizing..anything! Just find something you enjoy that brings out the creative side of you. If you don’t have one, then try to learn something new each day! This will not only allow the time to pass by faster, but it’ll access a different part of your brain that you usually don’t have the time to exercise. You may find a new passion or find something that you didn’t know you can do.
Set Routines
Personally, I have been setting my alarm each morning around 9 just to go make my coffee and breakfast. This adds a bit of structure to my days and gives me a little satisfaction of normalcy. I don’t really like waking up late and feeling like I have wasted my day because nowadays we have an unlimited amount of time to relax. Sticking to a simple routine keeps me motivated each day, and gets me productive early on so I have the rest of my day for Netflix or whatever else. Pick something simple that you can stick to and make your routine!
GET OUTSIDE
There may be conflicting views on being outside right now, but you can practice this without putting yourself or others at risk. Being outside will make you feel like you have somewhere to go other than being “trapped” in your house. Pick a place where it’ll be easy for you to stay 6 ft. away from others- a hike, a walk in your neighborhood, or even just sitting outside on your deck to do work. Our bodies soak up the sun which has been proven to improve our mood and lower blood pressure. So even if it’s just for half an hour, get outside!!! Breathing in the fresh air can remind you that the Earth is still moving and that we will get through this soon enough. Life hasn’t stopped!
Yes, You Should Exercise
It’s so easy to put off working out when the couch and fridge are calling your name, but it doesn’t have to be dreadful! And you don’t have to get a “bikini body” by the time this is over. Simply commit to moving your body for at least 30 minutes each day. It can be anything from a walk, yoga, a run, a hardcore full-body workout, or doing abs while watching a movie. Just move your body to remind yourself you’re still alive. Other than the obvious benefits of exercise, it can also improve mental health significantly and give you a sense of accomplishment each day. This is a trying time for us and we can either give in and give up or work on helping our bodies!
Schedule Virtual Hangouts
Like I said, life hasn’t stopped. You can still hang out with your family and friends, except with a little twist. You’d be surprised how great it feels to catch up with someone who you haven’t seen or talked to in a while. Use this time in isolation to rekindle relationships or check up on old friends. It gives us a sense of togetherness knowing everyone is in the same boat right now. Try scheduling a “facetime date” a few times a week so you have something to look forward to! A great idea would be to schedule a dinner date (with a friend or loved one), get dressed up, cook the same meal, and pretend you’re at dinner together while on Facetime. Just the other night I found myself on zoom for 5 hours with old friends, the time flew by and it actually felt like we were all together!
Practice Gratitude
Something that changed my life, even before this situation, was practicing gratitude. I started by keeping a journal in which I would write 3 things I was grateful for that day… it could be as simple as “I am grateful for the warm weather today”. I highly encourage you to do this during this time because it’s easy to get down and out when all you’re hearing is bad news. By writing down what you’re grateful for, you start to realize that you have more blessings in your life than you thought. It’s also powerful to do personal gratitude, such as “I am grateful that I ate a healthy lunch today”. Practicing looking on the positive side will ultimately result in you feeling positive, so let’s try and practice that more!
Keep in mind that you don’t need to do and master all of these, it’s important not to overwhelm yourself at a time like this. Start with integrating one or two of them into your day, and slowly blend them into your everyday routine. We’re going to get through this together, let’s think of this as a time of rest and growth rather than a time of panic and uncertainty. We have the power to decide our perspective on things!
Written by our Campus Rec Intern, Rachael