We are definitely living through interesting times. The pandemic has changed school for everyone: whether you're in person but sporting a mask, half of your classes are in-person and half are online, or all of your classes are online and you're learning from home (like I am). These circumstances are not ideal by any means, but in order to stop the spread of the virus, we must continue to follow these procedures.

For all of my fellow online students, I know the days can seem to drag on and feel endless. This is especially true if you have minimal breaks and your classes are back to back. Looking at a screen for multiple hours on end tends to be bad on the eyes and can leave you with a lingering headache. If blue light glasses help you, I definitely recommend using them as often as possible. Even looking away from your computer screen for a few seconds may help ease the strain on your eyes.

I also strongly advise against completing schoolwork or attending Zoom classes in bed. It's not easy to get up out of bed and get ready for the day, especially if you're not attending an actual in-person class. But you can still make yourself comfortable while doing your work. If you keep working in your bed though, you won't get much of anything done and may even fall back to sleep! It's happened to me before; I learned the hard way.

Another tip for making online school easier is to make time for yourself to do things you enjoy. I know how difficult it is to find time because I've already written three papers this week, but even walking outside for ten minutes can clear your mind and get your blood flowing. Finding time to watch a movie or prepare a snack will help make the day easier too. This works with anything that leaves you feeling happy after you're done doing it. I personally enjoy sitting outside and watching Netflix while drinking coffee. If you're far away from your friends, call them! This has definitely been keeping me sane because I'm not used to being without them 24/7. Phone calls and FaceTimes aren't the same, but they make me feel better and it's always fun to catch up with friends!

The main takeaway here is that while these times are hard, you can do things you enjoy to make them easier. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and if you maintain a positive mindset, it'll be Christmas break before you know it. Hopefully everything is back to normal (or as close to normal as possible) by then. Things will get better, I promise!