How to Cope with the Loss of Another “Normal” Semester Due to COVID-19

By Amelia Woolard

As we enter the eleventh month of the nationally encouraged safer-at-home mandates, COVID-19 seems more like old news each and every day – though, its threat still looms largely over all of us. Spending day after day in quarantine can feel like rubbing salt in the wound, as you spend what are supposed to be the “best years of your life” under the constant stress of the pandemic. Hey, you’re not alone in feeling this way – even if you realize that the current health emergency won’t last forever. 

That being said, there are some steps you can do to make your current spring semester more bearable, abnormal as it may be. Here are 3 of uCribs’ best tips, which we hope will make enduring the loss of another “normal” semester a little easier to manage.  

Acknowledge how far you’ve come since the pandemic started.   

If you’re reading this, go ahead and pat yourself on the back – you’ve survived the darkest days of this unprecedented global health crisis within our lifetimes. Sure, there’s still plenty of work to be done, like getting your vaccination, and eventually, returning to campus full-time. But, you have to admit that it feels pretty good to have made it through some of the scariest moments. You might have even come to understand yourself better than ever. That’s the thing about difficult circumstances: you never truly know what you’re made of until you confront them head-on, putting a lot of life’s other obstacles in perspective in the process. So, instead of feeling blue that we’re still not totally out of the woods, congratulate yourself for making it this far without completely losing your cool.  

Take advantage of the opportunity to slow down. 

There have been a lot of negative headlines surrounding the pandemic, but one positive thing that has come from this unfortunate situation is the rare opportunity for time-strapped college students to take a step back from the grind. Without the constant pressures to juggle a laundry list of extracurriculars and active social life, you might find that you have more time to do things that bring you joy and have nothing to do with building your social circle or impressing future employers on LinkedIn – though, these activities are still important! As with anything in life, balance is key. So, the next time you feel stressed about the state of the world, appreciate the time you have to slow down and try to feel a bit of gratitude for the ability to do so right now.  

Look for ways to (safely) break the monotony of your daily routine.  

Okay, so you’ve mostly gotten over the snail’s pace of daily social isolation – but, what about those days when your daily routine is so boring, it makes you want to cry out of frustration? While you’re always safer at home, it’s also possible to make these last months of the pandemic more bearable outside of complete isolation – and to do so safely. Visit your favorite local boutique during your afternoon break, pick up your takeout order in-person, or move your study session from the couch to the park. As long as you’re wearing a face mask and remaining six-feet from others, none of these activities should significantly raise your risk of infection, meaning that you can enjoy them without much additional stress, while also making your day a little brighter. 

We won’t sugarcoat it: attending college during the pandemic is no easy feat, especially when you take into consideration everything that you’ve given up during the loss of multiple “normal” semesters. Even though it may not seem like it, we’re edging closer to the eventual re-opening of schools, stores, entertainment venues – and well, the world. If you’re having trouble coping with the stark realities of yet another college semester under quarantine, don’t fret. Your pals at uCribs have your back with these suggestions to make the whole situation slightly easier to handle, as always.  

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