It is undeniable that the current situation is unusual and, due to its global reach, almost unprecedented. While it may seem desirable to some people to consume every piece of news that is available about the virus and its effects, this may have a detrimental effect on one’s mental health, especially if one is already prone to negative thought patterns. While I certainly do not claim to have all the knowledge in the world, I still have some suggestions that may be useful to some students. This is by no means an official or exhaustive list of suggestions, please make sure to pay attention to government regulations and guidelines by the WHO.
tl;dr: Try not to consume more news than is healthy, stick to a daily routine, have safe daily walks and watch this space for weekly posts to help maintain and expand your English.
- If you find yourself obsessed with reading everything you can find on the virus and how numbers change and governments react, and if this is dragging you down, try limiting your media intake. Although we are experiencing a global pandemic, this is directly contrasted by the effects of the measures to combat it; social distancing makes life more solitary. Now, if we can only affect and be affected by our local surroundings, it is illogical to consume ALL THE MEDIA that will a) not help us or even b) worsen our mental health. Therefore, it may be helpful for some to avoid looking at the global news every day and to even limit one’s consumption of local news to an extent. News tickers have their appeal, but having a look at a factual overview by a trusted and official source once or twice a day may be more prudent.
- When you are isolated in your own home and if you are taking the government rules and recommendations seriously, you might find yourself lacking human interaction. Especially if you are a student living in a one-room flat, or if you live in a shared flat but are not friends with your flatmate(s). The good news: Everyone else is in the same position, you are not alone! The bad news: This still sucks! And you are kind of alone anyway. If you are not proactive about interacting with other fellow human beings, grocery shopping may turn into the stressful highlight of your week. Try video chatting with friends, it is not the same as meeting people face to face but it is something.
Or you could finally try to get good at darts. - Another reason why grocery shopping may be your highlight is that you find yourself outside for a change. When you look around and breathe fresh air is when you suddenly realise that it is the first time you have been outside in about a week. Thankfully, the German government has not (yet) enacted an outright curfew or lockdown. One reason for that is to allow you to still go for a walk or run. Solitary activities outside are still safe, so try going for a daily walk – even if it is a short one.
- In fact, establishing a daily routine may be helpful, not only for your mental health but also for keeping a connection to the world before the pandemic – you know, just a few weeks ago. Try setting daily tasks for yourself, depending on what you have to do this may look very different.
At this point in time, the Uni Hamburg FAQ on the coronavirus states: “It remains to be seen whether teaching will actually begin on 20 April and, if so, what form it will take. This is still being coordinated at both the state and federal level.”
UPDATE, 03.04.2020: The new semester WILL begin on Monday, April 20 2020.
(Here is some more official information from Hamburg University about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on students.)
Now, that we have established that it is prudent for students to keep a daily routine and that it is not yet entirely clear whether or not the new semester will begin on 20 April, it only makes sense to try to try to maintain your English skills so that you’re prepared for the new semester when all this has finally blown over.
There are several things you can you right now, like learning with audio books and making an effort to expand your vocabulary while you watch your favourite TV show or movie.
We here in the English Explorations team are going to try to provide you with more options to maintain and expand your English with new posts every week.
Watch this space!
