As in any war, this enemy has left its imprint on our daily lives. How we spent our time and what we once took for granted--school and work schedules, activities, relationships, family ties, responsibilities, and our leisure time--have all been drastically altered. If we have been fortunate enough to escape our enemy’s silent battalions and their life-threatening campaigns, if anything, we have been left with a distorted view of time. After numerous lockdowns and restrictions that have trapped us in our homes, we rely on Zoom, the Internet, and social media for our sustenance and to get us through the day as we crave some semblance of our previous lives.

What we all want to know is not only the impact this will have on our mental health in the long term but how we will climb out of the rut we currently face with our mundane day-to-day routines.  On the flip side of this mundanity is the inability to make plans. We don't know if we will be out of lockdown, if schools will reopen fully, or if we will be free to travel. There is still so much uncertainty a year and some months after we went to war, and there are no set dates to look forward to because our silent enemy still has the upper hand in many countries.

The monotony most students cannot wait to escape looks something like this routine: wake up, join Zoom classes, watch a movie or a TV show, go to sleep, do the same thing again the next day and the day after that. Without any defining activities that distinguish one day from another, time seems to have come to a standstill. It’s easy to lose track of time or remember what day it is.  The lack of distinction between school/work hours and downtime has caused less urgency to participate and pay attention. Staring at a screen for more than eight or ten hours a day has become the norm, whereas before, this is what one did during a few hours of downtime.

As many of us continue to wrestle with our imposed routines, we have also seen our sleep schedules severely impacted. Not having to wake up early in the mornings to attend school physically has led to many of us staying up later than usual. Studies show that an irregular sleep schedule can throw off the body’s circadian rhythm, making you feel out of sync. It can also lead to days feeling shorter or longer.

One of the ways I combat some of these challenges is to find a balance. I manage my days, and particularly, screen fatigue, by exercising, listening to music, reading a book, or immersing myself in some other activity. I found concentrating during online school quite tricky, and I also felt that the lack of engagement and face-to-face teaching affected how much I absorbed and learned. To improve my learning, I designated a place in my room for school work and a place for leisure time. I do all my homework and classes at my desk and spend my free time on my bed or outside. This has helped to create a professional space while working from home.

This pandemic has changed the way we live our lives in so many different ways. As we continue to develop new coping skills, at the end of this extended battle we’re in, it will be just as crucial to take stock of what we feel and how we feel in order to provide the best ways to address our mental outlook and wellbeing. In the end, the adjustment back to “normal” may be jarring, and we need to make sure that we keep trying to improve our overall health after the coronavirus has been laid to rest.