How to Make the Best of a Two Month Pandemic-Induced Winter Break

We all remember the dreadful days of quarantine back in the first half of 2020. From Tiger King to family walks, we all handled the shock of a pandemic differently, but also surprisingly similarly. Many students gave up on their last two months of classes, due to feeling disengaged and removed. Other students felt scared and maybe even depressed, and tried to use their remaining days in school as a distraction from the chaos surrounding them. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 cases rising dramatically in all 50 of the United States, these upcoming winter months may not feel too different from last March to May.

I encourage you to create a list of five things to do a day, that will allow you to not only avoid boredom but also to be legitimately productive, with the main goal being to keep you from turning into a couch potato, as I nearly did back in April. I created a template that helps me keep track of my streak, and remember how I made each day unique.

I called the list “5 DWTBM,” which stands for “daily ways to better myself.” There are 5 sections, and on the light blue rectangle you write the name of whatever activity it is you aim to complete daily. Then, in the white section, you write a little summary of how the activity went, how it made you feel, or what you accomplished. At the bottom, you see a box labeled “day,” which encourages you to get a streak going. Believe me, once you have a couple of days in your belt, you don’t want to miss one and start all over.

My five daily ways to better myself last spring included learning Spanish on Duolingo, reading at least 10 pages of a book, going for a walk or run, watching a TedTalk or listening to a podcast, and stretching. These helped me to learn new things and get my body moving when otherwise I would have sat on TikTok all day. No shame if you did that, but it can get a little repetitive, and I promise after completing the five things you still have plenty of time left in the day. 

If I could make any changes to my list from last time, it would be to add a social element. I’m not sure what these next few months will look like, but many students are likely to be home with family, and less likely to be seeing friends as numbers go up. So do what you can to have a mocktail hour on Zoom, play Among Us or Psych!, or call a loved one who may be having a hard time. 

With virtual school nearing its end, it can be so easy to fall back into the cycle of waking up, going on your phone, watching TV, and going back to bed. So remember: You’ll get out whatever you put in.