Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about lockdown…

For introverts in particular, lockdown could really be your time to thrive! In this article, I’ve written about my lockdown experience and what I’ve done to thrive ever since the invisible iron gates settled on my city.

Whilst you find yourself wearing your favourite loungewear or PJs and being productive without having to partake in awkward discussions about the weather or last night’s game (are they still doing that?) you look at your more extroverted friends who are struggling with the lockdown and feel ashamed you’re having a good time.
It is of course reasonable to feel guilty about a situation that is negatively affecting most of the population. But unless you engineered the coronavirus in your basement at 3 in the morning you shouldn’t feel guilty. For thousands of years, the extroverted human has excelled and the world has lauded him as the ‘standard’ whilst introverts have been and continue to be encouraged to be more ‘social’.

This is now the era of the ‘introvert’.

All those hobbies you’ve never had time for, all those books that kept piling up. Now is the time to pursue those hobbies and read those books. There is money to be made, inventions to be created, Netflix shows to be discovered. We only have a few years at most until things go back to normal. It is definitely worth investing in all those activities you never had ‘time’ for.
For me, I redecorated my entire room, something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time and energy to actually do it. A few months ago it dawned on me that I was spending most of my day in this plain white-walled room so with the money I was able to save from my lunch money, I invested into my room. I got two big portraits of Beyonce’s lemonade, a few mirrors and some ferry lights. I also rearranged the furniture and introduced a colour theme of green and white which also encouraged me to buy some fake green vines to wrap around my mirror.

Now, I like spending my time in my room!

I encourage you to do the same because your room is like a sacred temple where you’re most comfortable and at peace. You should want to spend time in your room. If ever you feel like redecorating your room I suggest you watch some youtube videos especially college dorm videos because they tend to fit in with student budgets. Similarly, make sure you take your time because unless you have a money tree in your backyard you will be stuck with a room you don’t like.

As for other things I’ve taken up this year; I am now working on a novel idea I have had since I was 15. I’ve also taken up upcycling my clothes as well as meditating because even though I am comfortable with staying inside all day we are all still in the midst of a pandemic and we have to protect our energy and mental health. And although I have extra time to pursue these hobbies I still have to balance being in Year 13 and preparing for my ‘exams’. Picture this, you’re sitting at your desk, facing a screen from 8.00 am to 3.30 pm and then you have clubs straight after school. And what about that essay on the Taming of the Shrew? Or was it about coastal processes?

Before you know it, you’re burned out…

But what exactly is ‘burnout’? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary…

“burnout is when a person feels constant exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration”

Sounds familiar? If so then you probably don’t even know if you will survive the term without failing. Let’s get you off this rut!

Establish a sleeping schedule.

If you’re like me, then you probably find yourself up at 12 or even 1 a.m. doing an assignment due the next day or endlessly scrolling through Pinterest. This is actually self-destructive. The body needs time to rest and having a proper sleep schedule can help your mind rest so it is fresh the next day. This may mean sleeping at 11:00 pm and waking up at 7:00 am so your internal clock can start ticking smoothly.

Do the work assigned in class during class!

This may sound like an obvious thing but you have no idea how many students leave their work for after school or to do it during a free period because they do not have a teacher breathing down their necks to finish it. This usually leads to work piling up and forcing you to stay at your desk and screen longer than you have to. Doing it in class gives you more free time to read the novel you’ve been meaning to or watch the latest episode of Riverdale.

Stay in touch with friends and family.

This is a bit tricky. You probably shouldn’t go out to visit someone because we are still in a pandemic. However, you could try calling them or even snapping them (do people still use Snapchat?) you could even bring back streaks as a way of checking in with them. The point is that talking to people you love may make you feel better and more motivated.

Go out or exercise.

If you’re allowed to go out then for the love of God leave your room and smell the fresh air. Being stuck in the house all day, every day will have you feeling like a prisoner. The change of scenery may give you the serotonin you need to feel much more motivated with your work. If this is not an option, then exercising is also a good alternative. Thanks to evolution, every time you exercise your body releases serotonin which makes you feel good. This just might be the thing to brighten up the rest of the day. I suggest exercising in the morning to start your day feeling fresh.

This should help you if your school is going to be online next year. If you have any more tips, please leave them in the comments below. Click here if you’d like to know more about sending your article through to us to be published. Remember, there’s a chance to win £50!