RIP Senior Year: 4 Distractions for Your FOMO Grief
I’ve gone back and forth on how to write this blog post. About a month and a half later and I’m still in shock that my senior year of college was abruptly taken away from me. Yes, I know this sounds like such a small thing in the context of what’s going on around the world...but it’s big for me!
My senior bar crawl: canceled. Commencement: postponed. Literally, the only two things I was looking forward to this semester. Now, I’m stuck at home in Connecticut drinking wine in my bed on Saturday nights.
I know this all sounds so unimportant, and it is, to an extent. But think about the things in your life that have been taken away. Maybe your best friend’s wedding got postponed or your cruise to the Bahamas got canceled or your grandpa’s 90th birthday party got moved online. We’ve all lost something because of this pandemic. And it is okay to mourn these losses!
I recognize that mourning something you never really got to experience is difficult; it is for all of us. But here are four distractions I’m using to stay sane and afloat during these unprecedented times.
1: Maintain a routine. This is something I am trying to do. I’m an extremely unorganized human-being who just dusted off their bedroom desk for the first time since the 4th grade. Now, I participate in meetings for my internship and attend virtual classes from the (not-so) comfort of my desk chair. This is my new normal and is actually helping me become more familiar with the habit of routine. I feel like I’m life-coaching myself (#winning.)
2: Participate in webinars/online classes. Now that I’m not physically present in classrooms or in friends’ apartments, I’m extremely bored. In my almost six weeks of being home, I’ve already binge-watched 7 shows from start to finish...yes, seven shows. This is not something I’m super proud of (or is it?) and I know there are much better uses of my time. There are so many organizations out there who have turned to Zoom and other streaming platforms to provide programming to the general public. Use this time to hop on a call and learn something new! Maybe instead, you can share something you’ve learned in the last sentence, like ...”and learn something new! I just mastered the art of the smoky eye.”
3: Connect with friends and family. During this time social distancing, it is even more important to connect with your loved ones. Hold virtual birthday parties, happy hours, or more, all with the click of a button (and the input of a password, let’s be real, we don’t want any Zoom bombers!). Use this time to reconnect with your high school friends, college roommate, ex-boyfriend’s cousin’s dog; I promise you, you won’t regret it. We’re all feeling lonely right now, so let’s work together to feel a little less lonely.
4: Stay positive! This is what seems to be the most difficult for me. I miss my friends, I miss my professors, and I miss going out to the bars in Towson to socialize. These feelings are all valid, and I get that, but I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and rather focus on all the good that has come from this situation. I finally get to spend more than 3 consecutive weeks at home with my loving parents and dog. I get to Facetime my almost 98-year old grandpa on a weekly basis. I get to grow as a human, student, and professional through online learning and internship work. It’s really incredible how much I’ve grown and I hope to only keep this momentum going.
If I can find some positivity amidst the pain I’m feeling, you can do it, too!
