The transition from being in Amsterdam to being home has taken some time. Having hit the 10-day mark since being back it has only now hit me that this isn’t a quick stop back home. Instead, it’s my new life. The first week was wasted on hating being inside, hating the situation and feeling bad for myself. Jumping between anything that could possibly hold my attention until it was time to go to bed. The start of this second week has seen a needed change in my behavior.
Finding a routine has been very important. Keeping myself away from video games and TV until after dinner has been a much-needed change. The first week taught me that it was far too easy to wake up with video games and spend the whole day playing them. Instead, the first thing in my morning is to go for a run or make sure I do at least 30 minutes of exercise. I know that I won’t be getting stronger while on quarantine but I want to make sure I don’t slide backward with my development.
Along those lines of working out another challenge has been a change in diet. Having a fully stocked fridge only a floor away at all times forces me to change my eating habits. Going from eating when I’m hungry to making sure I only eat at meals with family. Avoiding the snacking that will inevitably pack on the pounds.
Then there is schoolwork. With all the time in the world to do it, I have never felt less motivated to do school work. It is far too easy to put it off. Each day knowing I will have all the time in the world to dedicate to schoolwork. It makes it too easy to make today’s problems tomorrow’s problems. I have found the routine of doing something every day to be very important for my continued academic success.
Every day I look forward to the days when I can go outside and be with friends again. But until then all I can do is make the most of this downtime to improve myself and find joy where I can. I know when life gets hectic again and I feel like I don’t have a spare second I’ll look back with longing on these days of downtime.