How To Adjust To The New Normal From One Student To Another

It feels like it was just yesterday when I could stuff my laptop into my book bag and head to the nearest coffee shop to get some work done. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and the background buzz of the chatty customers always set the mood to be productive for me. Perhaps if I had known that my last visit to the corner cafe on Rideau Street would be my last for a while, I would have cherished it more than I did. As being stuck at home and being expected to get work done has not been easy for me. In fact, I am about 99.9% sure that half of the student body worldwide is struggling to adjust to this new “normal”. I won't sit here and state that this time has been super productive for me because it hasn't, however, I will share four tips that have helped me get through this academic slump.

Number one: Accept and adapt

I don't expect students to accept the fact that everyday aspects of their student life such as going to class, meeting a professor, standing in the long line of Tim Hortons to grab an essential cup of coffee, or to just meet up with friends to be no longer an option. Half of those activities are practically my everyday life, so asking me to accept that these events will no longer take place is like telling an undergraduate student that they are not allowed to bring in coffee to an 8 am lecture. It is simply absurd. However, life must go on and we must simply adapt. Therefore the first step that I share with you from one student to the other is to do just that. Adapt to this new normal at your own pace and if you need two weeks to sit on your couch and let it sink in, do that. Part of acceptance is comprehending the situation, and if you need to crumble so that you can rise stronger than ever then do that as well. Once you have accepted this new normal, then you are now ready to make a change.

Number two: Make a schedule