When designing my concept board, I thought about what would make me happy. Over the past few weeks I have been trapped in my house with no escape. The weather has been cold and rainy and my spirits have been low. I realized I wanted to feel the warmth of the sun as I hoped for an early summer. When I thought of what would make me happy, I saw myself laying in the grass under the warm sun, a symbol of a hopeful future in all this uncertainty. Therefore my background became fluffy grass and sunshine. My board focused on Communication, Collaboration, and Relaxation.
A big drawback of social distancing is the lack of communication. We do not see the same people everyday or have a lot of human contact. We spend most of the day looking at the screen, trying to occupy ourselves until this whole mess is over. I have attempted to incorporate communication in my life through FaceTime and Zoom. As my coach says, it is one thing to text someone, but actually seeing their face is the next best thing to seeing them in person. I think that constant communication with my friends and classmates will push me to do my school work and do something of myself rather than laying in bed during quarantine.
Next is collaboration. Collaboration is extremely difficult during social distancing, but not impossible. As online classes begin, I have struggled to understand concepts of my courses. I am a hands on learner and really struggle to learn outside of the classroom. However, my classmates have guided and encouraged me with certain homework tasks and assignments. I have collaborated with them virtually online, bettering both of our assignments and understanding of the topic.
Finally, it is a time for relaxation. Being a student athlete, I never really get a break. I play a nearly year-round sport so between school, practice, and work, I never really get a break. Currently, my only job is to go to class, a role I haven’t played since I was 12. I have time to pick up new hobbies and breathe. One thing I have really enjoyed doing in the past few weeks is going for runs. It is a time for my imagination to run free and my mind to be at peace. I am also injured so the fact that I can sleep and recover after my runs instead of running to my next planned activity is amazing. I hope to use this time to grow and become a better and more peaceful self.
These next 6-12 weeks will be difficult for all of us, mostly because of the uncertainty, but we have to remember this is temporary. Together, we will get through this and have our day in the sun again.
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