A Note to Students for Whom 2020 Feels Canceled
The summer ahead of you probably doesn’t look much like what you had planned. We have all seen deadlines vanish, plans evaporate, and routines replaced. We have had to give up, change, and let go of many things, and it has been a lot to adjust to. While we might sometimes feel powerless, every day can offer us an opportunity to examine the abundance of choices available to us. There are still plenty of chances to make space for what you love, to begin something new, and to make space for what you enjoy. Here are a few ideas from some of your advisors:
Neurons that Fire Together Wire Together
What you do now has a supercharge. Taking a little extra time to practice your instrument, jot down a graphic novel idea, or spend time on a passion project can have benefits long into your future. Plus, there has never been a better time to study up. Develop a read and watch list inspired by the recent movements for change, social justice, and climate action.
Fresh Air
Getting outside, even for just a quick walk, can help boost overall health, with particular benefits for circulation and clarity of thinking. If you feel afraid of going outside, start small. If going out produces a sense of anxiety beyond jitters, please don’t keep this to yourself. Seek out someone who can help you navigate this.
Here comes the Sunlight
Turning our faces to the sun (with sunscreen), can help us get essential doses of vitamin D and boost our mood. That fashionable face mask you’re sporting offers natural extra UV protection.
Blue Sky Thinking
Taking in the sky or a view of the horizon helps us to recalibrate our place in the world. Find a piece of sky, a view, or a new glimpse of the horizon, and spend a little time with it— this can literally and figuratively realign our perspective.
Find Your Garden
Spending two hours in nature has been shown to benefit emotional and overall health. It can also help us to realign with circadian rhythms, practice a moment of mindfulness, and discover new environments. Reduced noise offers the mind a rest, while exposure to a natural biome can help boost the immune system.
You may have heard of a Victory Garden. You can start your own with a bulb of garlic, an organic tubar, or a piece of ginger root. Growing something allows us to witness a process of becoming and unfolding, and remembering to take care of something living and growing, can also remind us to take care of ourselves.
Bon Appétit
While staying home more may have reduced our activity levels, food is one of the most powerful sources of immune protection we have. Foster a positive relationship with food. Try new recipes with brightly colored ingredients. Follow chefs you admire, and speak to your family about keeping healthy, easy foods available for busier days.
Tired of Workouts? Try Playouts!
20-30 minutes a day of movement improves thinking, supports overall immunity, and builds self-esteem. Make a special playlist for movement. Start with something you enjoy. Work out, or play out with friends.
Practice Radical Self-Acceptance
Follow body-positive role models. Tune in to your feelings when media you are consuming triggers a sense of shame. You might think about whether it’s helping or harming. Please don’t criticize your body – or someone else’s – for getting a little softer while it is keeping you safe and healthy. Instead, find a physical challenge you enjoy.
Socialize Safely and Maintain Health Precautions
Get out to see people in a safe way. Continue to follow guidance regarding washing hands, face coverings, and maintaining a safe distance. While we have had to drastically change our lifestyle for the past few weeks, connection time is essential, and a little planning can help find new ways to make space for it. Pass around a soccer ball, or go for a bike ride together.
Journal
You are part of an unusual moment in history. Taking time to record your experience- even in short quick bursts- can be meaningful not only to you, but to others in the future.
To Consume or Create?
Think about your digital diet. Are you mostly a maker, or a viewer? What spaces are getting most of your attention? Try making your own recordings, films, drawings, or interviews. Exploration offers us a more proactive escape and can also be therapeutic, as we process differently. Even boredom within the space of attempting to create can lead to unexpected discoveries.
Put the Screens Away
It can be tempting to keep looking at a screen, even just out of habit. Listen to the cues that tell you it’s time for a break. Stretch, read a book, sketch, or go for a walk, and rest your eyes. Screen fatigue can sneak up on us slowly, causing general irritability, headaches, or eye strain. If you’re a gamer, choose games that align with your values. Listen to your gut when they don’t. Be honest with yourself about how much time you’re spending. If you find yourself sacrificing other things – it’s time for a break.
Name It to Tame It
Suppressing an emotion can take energy and sap our concentration. When a strong feeling arises, sitting with it, allowing it to be, can help it to subside.
You’ve Heard It Before- Keep Connecting
However you are feeling, someone you know is likely in a similar place. Reach out when you need to connect— and if you are feeling low, don’t keep it to yourself. This time has been hard on everyone, in different ways, at different times.
Commit to a Cause
Being an ally to a cause you are committed to is empowering. Making skillful use of social media, you can make a conscious choice to be part of something meaningful to and others.
Finally —- Just Be
There is built-in time to be in our lives right now— time we have needed. You have permission to do just that— to be who you are, and to watch life unfold. The fall will come, the pandemic will pass, and a new chapter of life will begin. This school year feels like it is ending with a quiet slide or a whimper— and it is — but beneath that, there is a call to find something you love, to stay close to the people you love, and to cultivate a future you love. It may feel delayed — but that doesn’t mean it isn’t on its way: you’re creating it, with each choice you make, no matter how small.
About the Author :
Jamie Laurens joined the Lycée in 2007. A native of the Rockies, Jamie began working on student wellness as a college student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in Avignon, France, where she chose education as a vocation. She began at Idyllwild Arts Academy and Westridge School before moving to New York and the Lycée. She has taught in the English program in middle and high school, co-developed the Advisory and Social Entrepreneurship programs, and researched the links between attention, learning, and well-being. Jamie enjoys reading poetry and being in the outdoors.