2020 was a year like none other. The global pandemic has brought economic turmoil and sickness into the lives of billions and continues to do so as it ravages through India, Brazil, the USA and Europe as they push vaccinations to millions every day. Here in Australia, we were lucky to have relatively low numbers of Covid-19 related deaths and infections. However, Melbournians still faced ‘stringent lockdown conditions’. As we were forced to endure restrictions for over 210 days, with a horrible stage 4 period from June to October.
After the initial Stage 3 restrictions eased up in June, we all felt relieved that the struggle had been worth it; and more importantly, that it was temporary. Though the first lockdown was emotionally frustrating, its presence felt like a passing inconvenience. Rather than a potentially serious, mental wellbeing issue. A couple of months without school and work? Sounded a bit boring but a novel experience nonetheless. But as we suddenly stepped, mask on, into an unknowingly long and much harsher round 2 of Victorian lockdowns, it became clear just how much we crave certainty and like to feel in control of our lives, jobs, relationships and freedoms. Humans are social by nature, and taking this away left most young Australians feeling ‘broken’ and ‘empty’, lost without a friend to chat with or a sport to play.
So what did this mean for students? Well, first, we must understand what differentiates us from other animals. People are able to ‘think at a complex level, meaning that we want a goal [with a purpose]’ (Stanford Children). In order to stay mentally healthy, we need three key components: social relationships with family and friends, an engaging mental task to work on (school for us students) and a healthy lifestyle which includes: regular exercise, proper diet, outdoor time and something to enjoy, like a hobby. So when a highly infectious virus took nearly all of these things away, it meant that life became monotonous and dull for high school and university students alike.
Motivation can often be a hard thing to find in life, and if you’re a student who had or is completing the VCE during 2020, you’ll understand that removing social days with friends, sports and hobbies was hard. With a study finding that ‘over 35% of adolescent students rated online classes and lockdown as very poor’, it wasn’t uncommon to see my friends and peers staying up until 3am playing video games or calling friends. As though we were trying to catch a break from the monotony of lockdown life. The thing about student results and wellbeing is that they are highly linked to physical, social and academic habits and routines. Staying up late meant sleep deprivation which led to most of us feeling less than energetic about schoolwork and Zoom calls, never mind attempting to exercise inside or within a 5km zone each day. The lack of motivation left me and my fellow peers feeling bored and unbothered as we let the days pass us by, waiting for things to get better.
However, as spring began rolling around, after over 2 months of stage 4 restrictions, we began observing changes in the community and with our friends. This is what I learnt about staying mentally and physically healthy, even when things seem aren’t going well:
1. Check in on your friends and family regularly. Now, this doesn’t mean a call every day, but letting people know you care and are thinking of them not only improves their day but provides you with a sense of belonging in a social circle.
2. Make a plan for the future; think to yourself, where do you want to be in a few weeks, months, maybe even years and make small, achievable goals towards achieving your plan. These may be as small as spending less time on social media or as large as getting into your dream University.
3. Don’t be afraid to put yourself first, sometimes it’s alright to go out with friends or play sports, even in the later years of high school you deserve a break and a positive outlet to get involved in.
4. Do what you want to do. This idea ranges from school work to sports to friend groups. If you want it, prioritise it and work towards it. If you don’t want or like something (or someone), ask yourself why that is? And think about if it’s worth your time. If friends or peers become negative or disagree with your goals and decisions, that’s okay, just remember that you control your own actions.
And lastly, but most importantly, 5: use adversity as an opportunity to learn and grow. If 2020 taught us one thing (other than how scary a pandemic can be even with modern technology), it’s that life isn’t a straight path to success. There will be bumps on the road, and overcoming them proves a student’s strength and maturity as we become young adults.
The world is a challenging place, but you made it through 2020 and I hope you’ve learnt a few more things you can do to be purposeful and positive in your future endeavours.
Reference List:
VCE Units 1 and 2 Edrolo Psychology Textbook