All across the world, there are people stuck at home including students stuck in their student homes all across the city. I myself, am one of those people, and would like to share some (hopefully) very relatable struggles!

1. Studying is so much harder than usual

Who would’ve thought there would be a day that I actually miss the UB? I miss the pressure of people around me to make sure I don’t “accidentally” watch a few episodes of Netflix instead of studying. In my case, a few of my housemates don’t have any planned exams yet. I, on the other hand,  have one in a week and a half, so I should be studying but it’s hard to do so when there is so much around you to be distracted by.

Solution: be strict! Just because we’re all home doesn’t mean our academics just stop. Make a strict schedule for yourself and follow it! Don’t work during hours that you normally wouldn’t, such as late at night.

2. Everyone is home 

As I mentioned above, everyone is home in your student house. In my case, this barely ever happens, but your housemates are basically the only people you can actually physically hang out with, so you might as well make the best of it. We have no idea how long we’ll be stuck in this situation, so make sure you don’t get on each other’s nerves.

Solution:  Communication is key, so if you need some alone time to study, tell your housemates that so they know to keep away. Do fun things together to keep spirits high. In my house, we’ve gone on a culinary expedition and are doing a lot of cooking and baking. When I need to work or study, I tell my housemates not to disturb me between those hours. 

3. Having one room for everything is affecting my productivity

There are many studies that show that working from your bedroom is bad for your productivity. Apparently, if you are able to see your bed, your brain will constantly be triggered by it because bed means sleep. This can be especially difficult for people who never study at home and can’t concentrate. 

Solution: pretend you are getting ready for the UB or class. Shower, get dressed (not in sweatpants!) and sit at your desk as if you were at the UB. Remove anything that isn’t related to your studies from your desk, and if it's possible, turn your desk away from your bed. Like this, you’ll be more in  study ‘isolation’ than in your bedroom. This website gives great tips on how to transform your bedroom into a study room (please ignore the tip: go outside first, as this isn’t applicable in our situation). 

4. It’s boring 

Let’s be real, being at home all the time is super boring. It makes you miss the days that you can text a friend to meet at the coffee corner, or grab a beer after a long study day. I feel you, I’m really bored too but we have to make the best of the situation! 

Solution: wish you were at a cafe with a friend? Video call them! You can both get a cup of coffee and pretend you are together. It makes the boredom a little more bearable, and you can talk to people ‘face to face’. Other ways of combating boredom for me are doing things I normally would never do because I’m ‘too busy’, like repotting my plants, making photo albums, organizing my closet…… I told you guys I was bored!

5. There is a constant mess

I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like I make way more of a mess now that I’m home than when I am not. While it may seem tempting to leave it all, because well, why not? Studies show that cleaning your room is essential for a productive and healthy environment. In my case, I immediately feel like my mind is more cluttered if my living space is cluttered! 

Solution: go full on Marie Kondo, now is the opportunity. Do a deep clean of the house with your housemates! Make it kind of like a game where whoever finishes their task first wins (again, desperate times call for desperate measures!). Like this you and your housemates stay clean in quarantine. Check out this website on spring cleaning tips or university students.

I hope that at least some of these points were relatable for other students stuck at home! These are tough times, but like I said, the only thing we can do is make the best of it. Wouldn’t it be great if we could leave quarantine as a better version of ourselves?