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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ohio U chapter.

With many of us learning remotely this semester, it can be difficult to separate our home lives from our school lives. Whether you’re in an apartment, dorm, or still at your family home, stress can arise as there can be minimal “safe spaces” to turn to if anxiety, distractions, and worries get the better of us. 

Here are just a few simple ways to expand your learning spaces and minimize the stresses that accompany them. 

Get some fresh air

Many of us may be tied to synchronous courses for many hours of the day, so it is imperative that we allow some time each day (hopefully more than once!) to enjoy the summer sun. Simply sitting outdoors for 20 minutes or taking a short walk around your neighborhood can do a whirlwind for your sense of clarity.

On that note–movement!

It is no secret that quarantine has taken a toll on our mental state, but our physical state has also endured a great deal of change. Regardless of your typical exercise habits, setting aside a half hour or so each day to move your body–whether that’s walking, biking, yoga, what have you–will help you feel more energized and allow for more blood flow!

Get some chores done

While chores are typically not the most desirable tasks, they can feel almost reassuring after a long day of online schoolwork. Just put on a podcast, or listen to your favorite playlist, and knock out a couple cleaning tasks to get your mind focused elsewhere. 

Prepare a meal or two

The start of quarantine brought with it a great deal of trendy at-home recipes and TikTok hacks to make tasty, innovative, and lasting foods. Whether you like to get creative in the kitchen, or need to follow a meticulous recipe, cooking and meal-prepping can be a very therapeutic activity to help separate yourself from your online school environment.

Whether it’s cooking, cleaning, or relaxing outdoors, there are many ways to help reduce the immense anxiety felt by all of us during this crucial and intense time. The most important thing to remind ourselves is to take breaks from our screens–allow our minds and bodies to disconnect from this new education format for a bit, and help find comfort in this strange environment.

Lauren Serge

Ohio U '23

Lauren Serge is currently a senior at Ohio University, majoring in Journalism and specializing in Marketing and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is the current President and Co-Campus Correspondent for the Her Campus OU chapter. She enjoys writing, walking, spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, as well as catching up on her many favorite tv shows.
Caitlin Hunt

Ohio U '21

Caitlin Hunt is a fourth year journalism news and information student at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. On campus, Caitlin is involved with the Ohio Fellows, Cru, and is a Templeton Scholar. She has served as a TODAY Show intern and a NAJA fellow. In her free time, she takes in as much pop culture as she can! She is always watching tv shows and movies, listening to music and obsessing over the latest Broadway musical. Check out her monthly blog, Caitlin's Pop of Culture to see what she's watching!