Surviving 2020

2020 has been an unusual year to say the least. This year has had a major impact on my life and my mental health. I have struggled with motivation to complete schoolwork, loneliness, and boredom. I am here to share my experiences and hopefully give you some advice and things that I have learned along the way to help you get through this crazy year. 

First, I would like to tell you guys a little bit about myself. My name is Nicholas, I am 16 and I am a junior. My favorite sports are basketball and tennis. I played tennis at Cherokee Trail last fall and made the varsity team. My partner Ethan and I, made it to the state tennis championship. It was a really fun season, and I learned a lot about myself and what I am able to accomplish. I am planning to graduate high school at the end of this year. I do not really enjoy school, so I am graduating a year early and hoping to find a job and then plan for college. 

The year 2020 has been crazy for me and my family. Back in March I found out that school was going to be going online. This was unheard of and I was starting to get worried. I was starting to question how serious this virus was and I didn’t know how long that this was going to last for. Being at home everyday was starting to get boring and I really missed my friends from school. I was starting to get a little depressed and really lacked motivation to do my school work. I know that many of you are in my same boat and have felt many of the same things that I have. 

Throughout this whole experience, I have learned many valuable lessons and found out how to live with this virus going on. Although  this virus stinks and that it is easy just to look at the negatives that the virus brings it can be challenging to look at the positives. For me, I am graduating at the end of the year, and the time that I have left with my family is minimal. However, because of this virus I have a lot more time on my hands and have spent a lot of time with my family. You don’t really appreciate the time that you had with your family until you are out on your own. So my advice would be to find something that you like to do and look at the positives instead of focusing on the negatives. I have struggled with this a lot because the media and news only shows the negatives because positive news is no news at all. 

I have struggled with being bored almost every day, and I have found a few things that I do every day to make my life more fun and exciting. I love sports and I play basketball almost every day, I have a basketball hoop in my front yard. I also try and work out every day. Working out has been a game changer for me. I feel a lot better each day and feel confident about my body. Trust me, working out will make you guys feel a lot healthier and will change your attitude for the better. It is also important to spend time with your family and not be on technology so much. After spending all my day on a computer, I get a little grumpy. So doing something active with your family puts me in a better mood. Each of us is different, and we enjoy different things, so do a little research about things that you might enjoy doing during these trying times. You will definitely be happier and healthier when you do what you enjoy.

Next, I am going to talk about school and my tips to stay motivated and on top of your studies. School has been one of the biggest struggles for me, and I struggle to stay motivated and stay on top of my work. It is easy to get frustrated with online work, and it is a new experience for all of us. My first tip is to take breaks, it is important to give your brain a break so that you don’t burnout. Next, try to incentivize yourself by giving yourself rewards for completing an assignment so that you stay motivated. My next tip was a game changer for me, I have learned to start with the hardest assignments first and then work your way to the easier assignments. You are more likely to be productive when you are starting your day rather than later in the day, so it is better to start with your hardest classes and assignments to maximize your output. If you do not understand a certain topic, it is important to seek help before you fall too far behind. Contact your teacher immediately and try to set up a time so that they can help you or attend the teacher’s office hours if they have them. If you are still having trouble getting your work done, then it is important to have someone hold you accountable. For me, my parents are the ones who check up with me and my grades and make sure that I am completing all my assignments. Find someone that you trust that will hold you accountable. I know that this is a new experience for everyone, and I hope these tips help you guys out. 

Now, I want to talk about mental health. It is very crucial that you are in a good place mentally. By doing the things that I mentioned previously, you should be able to be in a good place mentally. If you are struggling it is important that you reach out to a trusted adult, whether that be parents, grandparents, etc. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to have depression, but it should not be an embarrassing thing. Many people struggle with mental health issues and there are people that want to get you the help that you need. Especially during this time, when mental health issues are more prevalent it is vitally important that you take care of yourself mentally and physically. I have personally struggled with being lonely  and reached out to my parents and they comforted me and made me feel better. I was nervous at first, but I promise you that the people you love want what's best for you and will not judge you or feel ashamed.

There are many issues plaguing our society today, and it is very important that we keep ourselves safe and protect our physical and mental health. I hope that you guys listen to the tips outlined in this blog because you will definitely notice a difference and a change in attitude and mood. Just know that we will get through these trying times, and life will return back to normal in the future, what we can do is make the best out of this situation and focus more on the positives in our life.