Dr. Kelly and Ms. Nan freely admit that the current Coronavirus situation has us a little... overwhelmed. We are trying to get all of your courses working online, dealing with the technology issues involved with shifting to working remotely, and of course, like you, concerned about the health and safety of our students, staff, family, and friends. It's a lot.
While we are working hard to make sure that we are moving forward academically, we are also equally concerned about everyone's mental health. Here are just some basic things you can do to promote emotional well-being:
- Keep structure in your day. It's really tempting to sleep in late, play a lot of video games, and binge watch shows on Netflix - and it's okay to take some time to relax - but schedule homework time, exercise time, or free reading time. It will help remind you that this isn't actually a vacation and keep you motivated to meet goals and deadlines.
- Stay engaged in class. By keeping yourself involved in your class you help normalize your life, stay connected to classmates, and challenge your brain - all of which are important right now. If you were behind, this is a great time to get caught up when there aren't so many other priorities competing for hours in the day. Think of it as an opportunity, and take advantage so that when things do get back to normal, you can be in a much better place.
- Go outside! Try to get some fresh air and sunshine every day. It makes you feel better AND boosts your immune system. Even if you're not a big outdoors person, a few minutes is a great idea - just make sure you keep six feet of distance from your neighbors.
- Try not to watch too much of the news. We know that gifted students tend to absorb and internalize a lot of what is going on in the world around them - this is not the time to do that. While it's great to be informed so that you can make the smartest choices, turn it off when you can.
- Do something to help you find your calm. Listen to your favorite music, find a great book (non-school related) to read, or try meditation. There are a number of meditation apps, some free and some not. Check with your parents before downloading anything and make sure a free trial period isn't going to rollover into something you have to pay for. The website 10% Happier - more meditation - is offering a free "Coronavirus Sanity Guide" with a number of free podcasts and other tools.
Do you have other ideas for how to keep your calm during this crazy time? Please share them in the comments below; we would love to hear your coping strategies! You may have a suggestion that will help another student (or adult) deal with what is going on.
Ms. Nan will try to blog weekly during the remote learning time to communicate about what is happening and to give you other things to think about and discuss. If you have something you'd like her to talk about during this time, you can put that in the comments as well.
Happy belated St. Patrick's Day! We look forward to seeing you all (in person!) again soon.
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