Beginning March 13, 2020 during the sixth period it was announced that there was a chance schools would have to close, and then later on March 25, schools throughout Marin County were closed due to how rapidly COVID-19 was spreading in the US. At that time, no one thought it could get as bad as it is, and thought of it like a week off. But as time went by, the situation got worse everyday, making us realize nothing would go back to normal soon.

For a while, we didn’t know what to do or how to adjust  (some people still don’t) to this new lifestyle of having to stay home as much as we can, wearing a mask, keeping six feet apart, using hand sanitizer. In that same regard, staying inside can be really unhealthy for our mental health even if we are trying to avoid the virus and protect ourselves. It can be really hard to notice when we are falling apart and try to get motivated and be productive. So if you notice you are acting lazy and having too much time to look at your wall and reflect in your life, you could try to change the way you’re spending your quarantine. 

Like Our school’s French teacher, Ms. Quinby, most of us now have a bad sleep schedule.

 “I go to bed early, and always wake up at 5 a.m. like before, but for some reason I tend to wake up past midnight every night and just stay awake for hours.”

If it’s going to bed late, waking up more than once or not sleeping at all, certainly most of us suffer with one of these bad habits. Even if we can’t do anything about it it’s important to know that an uneven sleep schedule can result in metabolism problems and even sleep paralysis, according to Healthline.

Since we are talking about routine, let’s talk about what consumes our time the most. School. I’m sure most of us can agree with Sophomore Arvin Chaudhuri, especially if you are in 10th grade “Homework has been like two times the size it was last year, plus the grade fluctuates so much making school stressful.” With the 4×4 schedule, teachers have to find a way to fit an entire school year in a semester. This can be overwhelming to both sides is that while the students struggle with keeping their grades acceptable, teachers have to adapt their teaching to online school, we all have technology problems, and quoting Ms. Quinby one more time, “we never know what to expect.”

While some students found a way to keep up with the subjects and good grades, others feel as if they’re falling behind, having breakdowns with all the pressure from school and spending all day at home with their families who can sometimes do more evil than good. 

If you’re having problems keeping up with school or at home, email your teacher or your counselor, try to find a way to get out of that hole or you might end up deeper every time. Email your teacher, plan a time to study, and make up late work or homeworks you didn’t submit. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, teachers will understand. We’re all in this together.

If it all feels too hard, work on yourself first, like getting ready every day whether  it’s putting some makeup on or changing your pj’s, anything that will make you feel better. When you get ready you have a lot more tendency of being productive. Plus it’s fun to try new looks that you wouldn’t normally wear, and it’s a good way to spend time. You will feel more active and wake, it can also bring your confidence up, and smelling good and feeling clean will make you feel way better. Try cleaning your room or redecorating; it can be fun and you will feel fresh. Sometimes doing these things can be hard but it’s a good way to take care of yourself even if you only do it once in a while.

Independent of the situation at home or your grades, we all found a way to distract ourselves from problems or to just get rid of boredom. Like Sophomore, Pia Bacusmo-Rohmer, some of us started new hobbies, she started journaling in her free time, others started to draw (or at least tried). Pia started to watch anime more often which is a good way to spend time, not necessarily watching anime, but  to start watching something new, maybe a show from another country or criminal/supernatural documentaries which you can find on YouTube, Netflix, hulu, etc. Just be careful to not lose track of time since we are trying to influence a better sleep schedule. Another recommendation could be trying reading, it’s a good way to distract yourself without having to look at a screen. You can buy a book without spending too much money at Bookoutlet (they’re new but may come with a little mistake on it) or you can buy used books at Thriftbooks. 

In this time, we have to be really mindful with our physical and mental health, so remember to wear a mask if you go out and wash your hands. Also remember to call your friends or text them, to check on them. A simple text can make someone’s day. Make sure your friends and family are okay, and most importantly take care of yourself. Do things that make you happy without putting your health at risk, and remember to stay positive. We’re all in this together and this will pass.