Who would have imagined what 2020 would bring, right? 
We all started the year off fresh and hopeful, but then a global pandemic was announced and … we were ordered to stay home.
Quarantined. But let’s look at the bright side. Not being able to leave your house is, ironically, a journey on its own, even though you are not really traveling somewhere. Dealing with this can be hard. Here’s a brief recap about how my quarantine started and is continuing.
To start off, I moved back home and left my shared apartment in Ljubljana. I packed my notebooks, university books, and even my little plant since I had no idea when (and if) I would be back. It felt strange, I didn’t quite comprehend it just yet. It took me around a week to realize this would last longer than the e-mail our university sent us stated. It would be more than a week. I struggled at first. I lacked the motivation I have when I’m at university, surrounded by other students or simply in my apartment where I get to see my roommates study and then quickly go back to my room to hit the books as well. It was like beginning once again, I had to get used to the new situation and the best way to do that was to create a fresh routine. My environment changed, the circumstances were different and I had to adjust.
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Quarantine means no university or at least no “real” university. Everything switched to online and this was already quite a lot to get used to. It felt weird. I didn’t have to wake up at 7 in the morning to be on time for lectures. But let me tell you, I’d switch back to normal classes immediately if I could. I complained about my 7 a.m on Tuesday mornings to my roomie so many times this year, but I’d walk to this lecture with a smile on my face now.
What I missed the most were the small things I incorporated into my routine over the past three years. The early mornings and choosing which road I’d take to get to university. Sitting in lecture halls and listening to professors talk. The hallways full of students, having trouble finding an empty spot to study at, coming home to see my roomies, and having dinner with them.
All these things that you think are rooted, there to stay, turned out to be quite the opposite. It was strange to see how from one day to the other, all of that disappeared. But that’s okay. It’s an opportunity to grow and learn to adapt to small (or big) changes in our lives. Once we are back to the life we had before “this” we truly will have to appreciate it more and not take it for granted.
As I’ve said, this quarantine process includes a ton of adapting. It feels different. You feel different. Suddenly, everything is on you. Time management becomes your best friend. You have to plan out your days, keep in mind not to add too many tasks, and execute. It is repetitive, but a routine definitely helps.
This will pass and our lives will be back to what they used to be before. We won’t be stuck inside forever and it’s important that throughout this whole process we keep this in mind. Stay as positive as you can be, create a routine, and stick to it. Your days will go by faster and you’ll be more productive. Keep repeating your routine until this is over and you can switch back to your old one. Or maybe you’ll decide to create yet another one because this time will change you.
The noise that you used to hear on the bustling streets, around you, is now within you and you should listen to it. Most importantly, keep a positive mindset, focus on the things you wish to achieve, and let your routine guide one step closer to your goals.
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The Cappuccino Girls
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