MHP's Declassified Zoom University Survival Guide

Welcome to Week 5 at Zoom University - UCSB edition, of course. It’s another day of waking up later than usual, rolling out of bed ten minutes before that 11 AM lecture, scrambling to find your lecture notes from last week, all while trying to figure out what your *Zoom fit* of the day will be.

As we prepare to head into Week 5, infamously known for being one of the weeks that most students have midterms (You got this!) we begin to feel the increasing weight of our responsibilities fall onto our shoulders. For some of us, we returned to our hometowns, to the places we knew as home before coming to UCSB/IV, whereas some of us stayed in Isla Vista, a home away from home. Whether you’re back home or in Isla Vista, one thing is for sure - we aren’t just students, our roles are much greater than that. For some of us, we’re the third parent, the caretakers, the educator, the provider, the example.  

*DING* my bad, just got called into another Zoom meeting at Zoom University. As I was saying… during quarantine, you may begin to feel your motivation decrease, but don’t be too alarmed! We here at the MHP Program, along with the help of other wellbeing services available, are here to help bring you ease during these hectic times.

Here are some tips that could help you stay positive and gain motivation while adapting to Zoom University and the COVID-19 Pandemic in general:

• Remember that nothing lasts forever
  
  • As hard as it may be during these times, it’s important to remember that difficult situations are not permanent and will pass by. For most of us, this is the first pandemic we’ve experienced but people have been able to push through other ones, so we’re able to do the same :-)
    
• Switch to a Gratitude Mindset
  
  • This tip itself isn’t easy - especially during hard times like these but one’s mindset definitely influences one’s goals, mentalities, etc.
    
  • Example: Instead of thinking “It sucks that I can’t see any of my friends/ loved ones during this time,” trying changing your narrative to “I can’t wait to see friends/loved ones after this situation passes over so I can really value the time I spend with the people who mean the most to me.”
    
  • Example: I think I speak for most of us when I say we’ve all had this next thought in our head: “I’m so bored, time is going by too fast/too slow.” Instead, I suggest changing your narrative to something such as “I’m grateful that I have more time to tend to hobbies/interests I previously did not have enough time for.”
    
• Plan Your Day
  
  • There are many benefits from planning your day such as:
    
    • Deciding what you want to achieve for the day
      
      • By deciding which assignments/tasks you’d like to complete each day, you have control over the things you would like to focus most on. By the end, you’ll feel accomplished/be a step closer to finishing your tasks and progress is always ~good~
        
    • Having purpose and being productive 
      
      • By creating a daily plan, you’re creating daily purpose. This leads to a sense of completeness, proactiveness, and drive. 
        

In conclusion, here are a few additional tips to help keep you positive during these hectic times:
1. You got this!
2. Believe in yourself and speak your goals into existence
3. Stay home for the safety and wellbeing of yourself, your loved ones, and for the health of others in general.
4. Take advantage of any extra time you may have on your hands - call your family, read that favorite YA book for the sixth time, watch a new television show, discover a new interest, research topics that interest you -- the list goes on, and so shall we :-)

-Vic, Mental Health Peer