Tag: college

Quarantined … again

On By hannahloviisawriterIn Christian Walk, UncategorizedLeave a comment

11/01/20

It’s only been three days but I haven’t been able to decide whether this is wonderful or just plain awful.

For the next week and possibly longer I’ll be stuck at home sweet home, waiting for life to be COVID free … at least for the moment.

I have to be honest … I spent the first day flipping out after deep cleaning my apartment, editing pictures, going on a run, anything to keep busy. It reminded me way too much of getting stuck in the Airbnb after New York.

Then I started making plans of everything I wanted to accomplish this week … after lying on the couch stone-still for hours contemplating my near future.

I decided it was high time to get my room set up since I had a spare minute so I went online to order some new things for that plus our living room. (Good thing I can work from home so I don’t go broke XD.)

I have a few days before my furniture and decor arrives so I made plans to bust out homework assignments that were opened early, find some good empty hiking trails (man, I wish I had my bike with me but I left it at the school), think of new skills to learn, and actually finish the book my old youth pastor gave me a few years ago.

After being paralyzed at the fact I’ll be cooped up again, I think it’ll be exciting to learn more about who I am when the me I am is all that I see. If there’s anything I’ve learned from life it is that we will never stop learning. And that applies to everything.

I pray that in the next week God will help me to make the best of this unexpected little break and see it as a blessing. I’ve felt that in the past couple years since I’ve received that book from my old youth pastor, I’ve let my life become so busy that I’ve squeezed God into the little corners.

It’s a busy season of life, and so different than the one I left. It’s hard to find a balance. It’s hard to find time to open the book.

You don’t have to work full-time as a missionary or be involved in church ministry throughout the week to keep your flame alive.

You just have to keep your eyes on the cross, and relish in the wonders of God’s grace.

And that means,

Don’t ever be satisfied, because there is so much more.

My Guide to Staying Sane as an Online Student

On By hannahloviisawriterIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Life threw us a curveball.

As a college student, being forced to adjust to the change of online schooling because of COVID-19 can be quite difficult. We’re not seeing our friends, getting face-to-face help, and even our assignments are changing. Most of us just can’t wait to be done.

That said, here are some tips I compiled for staying motivated through this stressful time.

  1. Mark a Calendar

Have you been waking up and wondering what day of the week it was? (Because, ahem, I did.) Tack a calendar to the wall beside your bed and start crossing of each day.

2. Keep a Schedule

Don’t change up the normal routine of your day. Wake up, exercise, eat breakfast…. If you start staying up late and sleeping in all the time you’ll lose your routine and the week will just become one long, uneventful day.

3. Make a to-do list.

Start off your day by compiling a list of each thing you want to accomplish, and finish the list by the end of the day

4. Don’t Procrastinate on Homework

This is the worst pitfall to give into. Don’t do it! Make sure you put aside time for homework as if you were actually in class. Add it to your schedule and keep track of all your assignments. If you can, most online classes give you the opportunity to get ahead.

5. Reward yourself for completing your tasks

Take a break. Go on a walk. Eat some ice cream. FaceTime a friend. Watch a show. Read a book. Paint. Sew. There are so many things to do! If you need some ideas, check out my blog post on things to do in quarantine!

What Staying at Home Looks like for Me

On By hannahloviisawriterIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Since moving back from CDA, my life has had quite a few changes!

The most significant of course is that all my schooling is now online. I actually don’t mind that too much, surprisingly. I miss seeing my friends at school, and I think I learn better in a classroom environment, but having my school online has helped me in terms of scheduling. Especially with the school magazine this semester.

Not too glamorous pic a classmate captured of me working on the magazine at our old Airbnb.

Taking 8 classes (double of a full-time semester) has been a bit challenging in terms of I don’t have time for all my homework, especially with the school magazine. This week is production week, and I spent all last week trying to get as much homework out of the way so I could spend this week on the magazine. It comes to a point where I’ll have to admit, I’ve done my best and spent countless hours and late nights on it. It’s as good as it’s gonna get.

So in short, that’s what staying at home looks for me. Working on school nonstop. But there are also the moments…

Like when I took a walk down the driveway and realized I looked like a little kid running away from home to all the passerby.

Or had a three-way FaceTime with my long-distance bestie so I could meet her military boyfriend.

Or invited my sisters over and we spent an all-nighter binge-watching the seventh season of “When Calls the Heart.” (Seriously LOVE that show. Team Nathan or Lucas, folks? My vote is with Lucas!)

From left to right: Nathan, Elizabeth, and Lucas from “When Calls the Heart”

Those are the memories I’ll remember. What memories have you been making?