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The Positivity in Isolation

The current situation is one that I, like many people who crave connection to others, would prefer not to be in, but I have decided to look at all the good that has come out of such a negative situation.

 

One positive is I have increased my step count two-fold by taking my lovely blue heeler puppy, who has all the energy in the world, for two runs a day.  Not only am I getting in shape but I am strengthening my bond with my pet little by little every day.

 

Our run in the morning is around 5 a.m., and during this time I also practice my mindfulness. I don’t take my phone and don’t listen to any music. Instead, I listen to the world around me and take the moment to appreciate the nature that surrounds us and get my thoughts in order for the day.

Our second run is in the evening once it cools down a bit, and the view is completely different. I see families taking walks together, children playing in the front yard, couples sitting on their porches enjoying each other’s company. This is completely different than the normal view of people on their phones, children playing video games, and others constantly in a rush. It is as though this little isolation has brought forward what is most important.

 

Another positive is to see that social media does have the power to be good. For instance, Instagram has been one that I personally enjoy checking daily now. Not to compare myself to others, but to see all the fun challenges. There is one that is about squatting your pet (safely and if under 50 lbs) and it’s so fun to watch, as are others like the properly named “see a pup send a pup,” or the “until tomorrow” where embarrassing photos are posted just for a laugh.

 

Besides the positivity of puppies and a good laugh the world is coming together as a community. Professional students (medical, veterinarian, dentistry, and others) are helping with this in some way shape or form. Either on the forefront of the fight or donating extra personal protective gear to local hospitals. The profession of veterinarian medicine is trying to help out the medical community by donating ventilators and other equipment that can be used.

 

Last note of positivity is the Zoom meetings. Luckily, this day and age technology allows us to still connect face to face, and thank goodness we have this ability. Zoom meetings for class, although it can be difficult at times, have actually been really fun. This is because we can see how our classmates and professors live, and it gives us insight into other people’s lives. Some of us are using it as a study tool and still meat with the study groups that we normally do just to keep the normalcy. Others are using it to connect with friends to do a workout class together because we all know staying fit is better with company. It allows us to fulfill that connection we need as humans.

 

I know this is a trying time on everyone, but with every dark day there is a cloud with a silver lining. Take a moment each day to look and find the silver lining.

2nd year Alexandria Phoenix donating extra surgical supplies to her local hospital.

 

Look on the Bright Side

Stay positive. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “With the new day, comes new strength and new thoughts.” The hot topic of the day is COVID-19, and with a national social distancing policy and a Texas state shelter-in-place occurring, Americans are staying indoors and, predominantly, at home.

Staying home can get very boring, very quickly, but one thing that I do is try to stay positive in light of this all. My key motivations during my last semester of senior year are staying active, keeping connections, and de-stressing.

During this season of quarantine, being active has helped keep me from eating an entire
tub of ice cream in the freezer. Working out helps me to feel productive and start off my day in a great mood. When COVID-19 is over (whenever that may be), I want to feel good about myself. I don’t want to gain a “COVID 19 pounds” during this time. I want to LOSE those 19 pounds.

Each evening, I take my dog out for a jog around the neighborhood. Every day is ab day, and one of the best things about this alone time is the freedom to reflect on the day. Though times are tough, my goal is to use this to my advantage and stay in shape in order to better my physical and mental health.

As a senior, I have made lots of new friends from both my undergraduate courses and from working at the Veterinary School. Another goal of mine is to stay in contact with those friends, despite the social distance policy, through virtual connections. With technology today, I can easily make a video call to anyone in any location through simple apps like Zoom, Skype, and Facetime (to name a few).

The people I have met from working as a BIMS Ambassador has given me lifelong friends. I work hard to stay in touch with those friends that are now either in their 4th year of Veterinary School or are already practicing veterinarians! Catching up with old and new friends during this time of quarantine is the best time to make time.

Lastly, I feel SO refreshed with all of my courses being online now. Not only do I have time to focus on my physical and mental wellbeing, but I also have free time to de-stress. During
Zoom online course lectures, I can pace myself through the recorded lectures. I am given the opportunity to be comfortable from my own home while watching a lecture on equine nutrition.

Organizations have cancelled their meetings and requirements, and my work and research are changing their hours to become more flexible for students that are still in College Station. With online courses, I am given an opportunity to focus on myself. I can study for the GRE, prepare for vet school applications for this coming cycle, learn a new skill, and even cook a recipe I have never had the time to make.

Although I did not know that March 6, 2020 would be my very last in-person lecture for my undergraduate years of college, I am thankful for the new doors of opportunity that have opened before me.

I get to bond with my dog that usually had to stay home alone for almost 12 hours at a time during the school year. I have the time to reconnect with old and new friends, as well as check in with family, from a distance and on a more flexible schedule. And I am way less stressed with courses online and organizational commitments canceled (don’t get me wrong. I love all of the organizations that I am in). All in all, I am looking on the bright side of this, as I am currently healthy and happier now.