Since the beginning of March, the whole world has been under lockdown. From schools to public places being shut down, we Gen Z’s are finding it tougher than we thought. This unprecedented situation has made us feel fearful for the future, at a time where we felt optimistic and hopeful. We are facing pressures from all angles, now that we are home all the time. We’ve been overscheduled, which has led to stress and fatigue.
All young adults are going through a range of emotions right now. We’ve had to adjust to distance learning, erase events from our calendars, and stay away from people we usually see on a daily basis. Parents themselves are trying to adjust to working from home and managing their children’s online learning. This whole pandemic is a lot for us to process. Right now, the feeling of anxiety is more contagious than the coronavirus. Below are some tips and tricks to avoid feeling down and depressed.
Take some time to establish a flexible routine: One of the reasons we have been feeling unmotivated is because we are so used to adhering to a set routine. Wake up, go to school, do extracurriculars, come home, do homework, eat dinner, spend time with family, and sleep. But, now that we’re always home, the routine has been broken, and we’re not used to it. So, establishing a routine would help retain some normalcy, during a time like this.
Be honest with people you’re close to: We all feel like we’re alone nowadays, but you’re not the only one feeling down. Talking to people you’re close to will relieve some of the stress and anxiety you might be feeling.
Try to get fresh air as much as possible: No matter where you live, it is important for you to get some fresh air. It can massively help in releasing some of the stress, while retaining some levels of normalcy.
Focus on the positives: At first, it might not seem like there are positives to this situation, but as time goes on, you’ll realize there are tons of them. For instance, there is more time to learn new skills. Some people have been using this time to learn how to cook, while others are focusing on exercising and reading. Focusing on learning a new skill will divert the focus on anxiety and stress. We should also use this time to get closer to our family. We are finding ourselves with plenty of time on our hands, and the best thing we can do is to spend more time with our family and get closer to them.
We're hungry for discovery, social interaction and independence - the kinds of developmental drives that have been actively undermined by the same measures that are completely vital to public health. While from a medical perspective we as Gen Z's are not considered high risk, we do face very real social and emotional challenges. Given the widespread uncertainty surrounding the future, it is important that we all look for each other and be sympathetic towards each others’ frustrations.
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