March of 2020 seemed to consist only of news about COVID-19. This is scary and upsetting, and has ripped apart many of our plans. As a college student, I had to leave my campus and begin online classes. As someone dealing with health issues, I had to make sure that I was prepared to manage my condition in social isolation. But this time I am not alone. 

As I process what is going on in the world and what is being said around me, I can’t help but reflect on the challenges that I have overcome in the past. When the media makes it feel like there is no way out of this wild situation, it helps me to remember that I have overcome scary situations in the past. One of them in particular was just last spring. After struggling to recover from my lung surgery during my first semester of college, I ultimately had to take the spring semester off. Realizing that most of my weeks would consist of doctors appointments and symptom tracking, it seemed like returning to a school nine hours away from my doctors was not ideal. I decided to take some classes from home instead. 

This was a scary situation that most college students do not go through, but for those of us with chronic conditions, it is sometimes just a part of life. Today, changing spring semester plans is a part of every student’s life. Since I am in the unique situation of having done something like this before, I know that when life gives us lemons we can choose to do something about it. And here’s how: 

1. Create a new routine – Establishing routine during times of change can be an amazing way to reduce stress. I know that I am more productive in the morning. Because of this I try to wake up at 7 every morning, not too early but definitely not too late. This way I can do something fun to start my day when my commitments are later in the day. On days that I have early commitments, I know it won’t be a challenge to get up and get going. When I go to bed, I give myself an hour for drinking tea and racing thoughts (and sometimes Gilmore Girls). When the hour is up, all electronics are powered down, lights are off, and I attempt to quiet my mind. I am human so definitely not everyday looks like this, but attempting to start and end my day the same way has given me a much needed sense of normalcy. 
2. Remember those things that you said you were going to do but you never did – Now is the time to incorporate something new in your routine.  
3. Remember this is temporary – It is so easy to be distraught about the fact that your spring plans are not working out, and fear that this misfortune will continue forever. But keep in mind that this is temporary. As a society we are learning how to deal with this pandemic. It may last longer than we hoped, but it will not define our futures. There will be a day when we return to normal but for that to happen, we have to temporarily put our normal activities on the back burner. 
4. Focus on school work – As a college student taking a medical leave, focusing on school was very important to me. While I could not be at my school physically, keeping forward momentum towards my degree was almost the only thing I had control over. When you are in the middle of a medical mystery, you are at the mercy of your doctors’ knowledge and your God’s will. There is not much that you can do about your situation. So I put as much energy as I could into my school work knowing that school could be a positive thing in my life instead of another scary, stressful situation.
5. Pick up a new hobby or revisit an old one – When I was in the fourth grade I started painting, and I was OBSESSED with it, but like all good hobbies, it eventually faded out.  After moving home from school, I signed up for a painting class. There is nothing like dedicating a few hours a day to something with no strings attached. You aren’t getting paid for it, a grade for it, points for it, likes for it, you are only doing it because you like to. 
6. Phone a friend – This is a scary and lonely time for everyone. Make an effort to check in with the people you love every once in a while, if not for you, for them. Knowing that you are not alone can make crazy situations feel just that much more manageable. 
7. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes – Times like these give us the opportunity to understand other people’s situations. There are people who live in this fear during every flu season because they are immunocompromised. There are people who cannot participate in the activities that you or I normally engage in for a variety of reasons. When we go through radical changes like these, we can take the opportunity to gain compassion from the situation. Take this opportunity to reflect on how you treat others based on your understanding of their situation. Is it fair? Or, is there something that you should be doing differently. 

I would love to hear what people are learning from this weird time. Feel free to comment below or send a message on the contact page.