Obviously, none of us expected a pandemic like this would happen.

For the past

4 months, we have been locked-up inside our houses and were only allowed to go out
when necessary. Work, schools, and businesses were put into a halt, and now we are
expected to shift into a “new normal” kind of set-up. These major changes have brought
on a lot of grief. We’re exhausted, cranky, worried, and; we’ve been consumed by a
great deal of uncertainty. It’s normal to feel helpless and unmotivated because I bet
everyone else is going through the same thing right now. I, myself, are experiencing this
kind of fatigue too. The kind of fatigue that drains motivation and sucks the life out of
you, but you are too numb to get yourself afloat. However, it’s not too late to hit the
reset button. Yes, we are allowed to grieve but we have to think about moving forward
too. These past few days, I’ve been constantly reminding myself to actually start doing
things. I have kept myself unproductive for so long, and I think I might need to start
utilizing my newfound time.
Four months of being in quarantine took a toll on me. The change was so
sudden, and I was taken aback by this new experience. During the first week, I thought
it wasn’t so bad that I actually kind of enjoyed that quick 1-week break from school.
However, the quarantine period kept being extended and extended, until it reached the
point where we have been locked up for several months now. I really didn’t expect it
would escalate up to this point, and I am quite disappointed to learn that school has
been suspended until further notice. To still push through with the ongoing semester
that has been interrupted by the pandemic, our school has shifted to online learning.
Honestly, I really had a hard time focusing on my studies. I even found myself being
less productive and motivated than ever. I was so overwhelmed by all of the things that
are happening around me—the loss of normalcy, the fear of uncertainty, and the loss of
connection. Not to mention, dealing with COVID-19 alone can be draining as well.
As a student, I think the biggest challenge for me is how I will make myself stay
grounded and be productive while being in quarantine. During these recent months, I
hardly made myself do anything productive at all. Like what I’ve said earlier, this
pandemic took a toll on me and I needed to let myself breathe a bit. Studying was
useless because I couldn’t even focus. But gradually, I am trying to get on my feet
again. Taking time off to recharge myself was a good idea because otherwise, I
would’ve taken a pretty bad fall. Acknowledging the current situation and changing my
perspective about it allowed me to start moving forward.
With community quarantine still ongoing and no plans about school starting soon,
I am now thinking of ways how I can utilize the amount of free time I got on my hands. I
am in my 2nd year of studying BS Accountancy and an upcoming 3 rd-year student.
Obviously, the difficulty of my subjects will now increase. It’s a relief that our qualifying
exam was cancelled for this school year yet I feel like I lost the opportunity to learn. I
need to go back reviewing my past lessons because I’ve forgotten most of it now. I
won’t deny that. I need to refuel my interest again in studying Accounting because it’s
the main driving force that keeps me going. Moreover, setting up goals will give me a
clear vision of what I want to achieve. However, setting up goals is very easy to do, but
sticking to them and working for them constantly is very tough.
My biggest fear at the moment will be if the pandemic lasts much longer than
expected. So if that happens, students will have to continue taking online classes.
Shifting to online learning is an experience I’d rather not have again for my upcoming
semesters. But given the current situation, I guess I just need to adapt myself to it. After
all, pushing myself to productivity is the only way forward. And one thing which I know
for sure is that when desire meets hard work, no one can stop you to get all the success
you want, so buckle up and get ready with this feeling of determination as I do.