Tips for Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Keeping physical, emotional, and socially healthy during a trying time.

From ourselves, to one another. With social distancing being the focal point of daily media coverage, our focus has shifted towards fulfilling our interpersonal relationships. Although interpersonal relationships are important, we should not neglect our intrapersonal relationship in these ever-changing times.

Some tips that you may find helpful:

Physical

• Eat regularly and healthily, and limit the amount of snacks you consume.
• Take some "stretching breaks" during your studies at home, or go for a walk while maintaining social distancing.
• Take regular showers and groom yourself; and clean your living space while staying at home.
• Get dressed to work at home as if you are going out to work; this may boost your energy levels. What we wear sometimes affects how we feel.

Emotional

• Limit social media time, and set a routine for checking the news. This may provide emotional boundaries for yourself and help manage anxiety levels.
• Avoid catastrophizing or overgeneralizing. Remember, you are already doing the most effective thing if you continue to choose to stay home.
• Be gracious with your emotions. Acknowledge how you feel, notice your emotions, and be gentle and compassionate to yourself. It is okay to feel ______ (i.e., anxiety, grief, sadness, anger), and you can do something to process it (i.e., journaling, mindfulness techniques, grounding techniques, etc.).
• Set up daily check-ins with family and friends, especially if you live alone. These can be through audio-visual means or over the phone.

Social

• Be empathetic and nonjudgemental toward others. Similar to being gracious to yourself, be gracious towards others' emotions and behaviours, even they do not make sense to you.
• Continue to engage in worship and community virtually. This can provide a platform for you to be hopeful in prayer or through other spiritual disciplines.

We should not neglect our intrapersonal relationship in these ever-changing times. Take care, and stay healthy.