Dear Destiny,

How the %&@# do I survive the coronavirus? -Concerned Corona

Dear Concerned Corona,

Wash your %&@#ing hands. Good luck, Concerned Corona, I believe in you.

Just kidding. In all seriousness, I feel as though the world changed in a matter of days. Two weeks ago I thought I had months left in the school year, months to say goodbye to my graduating friends and time to start looking for and finding a summer job.

Now, I’m back at home with my parents, taking online classes and I’m not sure the next time I’ll be on campus. This isn’t even mentioning that there’s a literal pandemic going on. Most days I feel like the world has turned upside down. 

Fair warning: I’m not a doctor. I don’t have a clue about how to physically survive social distancing. But I’m practicing social distancing and I’m constantly washing my hands. The only advice that I can give you is to take the virus seriously.

Just because we might not physically be in school doesn’t mean we should be taking trips to Miami. I think that it’s up to everyone to stop the spread of COVID-19. I think it’s not only stupid to go on trips, but selfish, too. Just stay at home (if you can) and hope for the best. 

Something tells me that you aren’t talking about physically surviving the virus, though. I’m not going to lie, I felt nervous about moving back home again. But it’s important to remember that the world won’t end because you are at home. In fact, I think that you have to remind yourself that this is your new normal. If you can’t do anything about it, why should you get upset?

Personally, I’m trying to keep a sense of normalcy and a routine instead of doing homework when I feel like it. I love having a structured life and I think doing things willy nilly would bother me. It’s up to you to decide if you will flourish with having an alarm everyday or if you are an on the fly sort of person. Just make sure that whatever you chose accommodates your schoolwork. Our social life might be ending, but unfortunately, our school work will continue. 

To fill this void, I’m going to spend time on my other goals. I know I talk about my weight loss goals a lot, but I’m taking the time to get physically fit. Of course, I can’t go to the gym, but I’ve been running (okay, jogging) everyday since I moved out. I’m also working on grad school applications and hope to have completed drafts before the school year is over. 

I’m not thankful for the coronavirus, at all. But I think that the key to keeping your sanity is to see it as a pause on physical commitments and a start on other tasks. If you keep yourself busy, this strange time will pass quickly. And hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll come out a better person.

Good luck, Concerned Corona, I believe in you. 

Xoxo,

Destiny

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