The Covid-19 pandemic has altered lives for millions of people. All have had their personal lives shifted in some way due to the chaos the virus has ensued on the world.
Now here we are, forced to stay six feet away from loved ones, hunting for a single pack of toilet paper, unemployed and going to school from home.
For the past couple of months, terms like “social distancing” and “quarantine” have been thrown around constantly. Yet, it seems like no one really knows what they mean. Social distancing is deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness.
It is challenging to force ourselves to stay indoors. Suddenly, we are beginning to realize all the things we might have taken for granted: a handshake, a hug, the grocery shopping, going to work and school.
Everyday things and routines that we might have never cared about, and often complained about, have now been taken away.
Quarantine restricts the movement of the population so the outbreak of COVID-19 doesn’t become larger. It’s important that the general public knows and follows these terms. Yet, while scrolling through social media, it seems like no one is.
People should stop trying to hang out with family, friends or anyone other than the people they live with. When we don’t practice social distancing, we are at a higher risk of becoming infected. It’s also important to only go out for items that are deemed essential.
Don’t stroll around the grocery store because you are bored. When you do have to go out in public practice proper social distancing measures. We should all stay at least six feet away from others and wear a face mask. The sooner the public complies with social distancing and self-quarantine the faster life can get back to normal.
For all students, the major thing to remember is, despite the virus changing how we manage our day-to-day activities, we are still expected to finish out the semester and stay motivated to do so.
Del Mar is providing resources for students to still connect with their professors and classmates. This gives the slight illusion of in-person classes and offers communication between the two parties. With this, the college has motivated many students to remain enrolled in the school and professors have made online transitions as easy as possible for their students to pass the semester and move to the next part of their college career.
The changes brought to the lives of college students are difficult. There has been no certainty on when the normal, face-to-face sessions will resume. Students are encouraged to continue their college careers, this semester and future ones. College is hard and the pandemic doesn’t make it any simpler. Using resources and pushing yourself as you would in regular classes will benefit you after the semester draws to a close.
Think of this as just another roadblock in the path of a college student. We all have seen and conquered plenty of those. Stay home and flatten the curve.
