Endure Series 2/5: Follow Your Routine

2.) Keep a Routine!

During this quarantine, days have definitely felt repetitive. However, we believe that keeping a routine has been crucial for staying sane and healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic. For this portion of the blog, our team-member Noelle will outline the ways she has kept a routine to stay motivated during the stay-at-home orders:

1.) Wake up in the morning around 8 AM

Waking up relatively early has helped me feel productive. I am definitely a morning person rather than a night owl, so I would say I get more stuff done in the beginning of the day. When I wake up, I like to make my bed and tidy up my room before I start my day. By doing this, I have created a clean environment I can work in for the day.

2.) Brush my teeth and drink water

Right after I wake up, I go to my bathroom and brush my teeth and drink some water. This makes me feel fresh. When writing this blog post, I realize that maintaining good hygiene and taking care of my body during this pandemic has really helped me keep centered. Even though I am not going anywhere, it still has helped me feel motivated to get up and start the day.

3.) Go on a run

After I change into my workout clothes, I go for a run around my neighborhood. I didn’t run outside that much at UCLA because usually I would just go to Bfit or Wooden, but now that all the gyms are closed, I find myself running way more. Oddly enough, this has been my favorite part of quarantine. I used to run a lot more before UCLA, so now that I am back home I have gotten back into a routine. However, now when I run I stay 6 feet away from other joggers and people in my neighborhood.

4.) Shower/Get Ready

After exercising, I shower and get ready for the day. This consists of doing some laundry, getting some breakfast, and planning out my day. This is a crucial part of my day because it really keeps me organized for the day.

5.) Zoom Calls Throughout the Day (Online School)

Like all UCLA students at the moment, we are constantly on Zoom calls for class, office hours, orgs, etc. This isn’t the ideal learning experience, but I am still grateful I have the opportunity to learn and expand my understanding everyday through online school. This online quarter has put my educational experience into perspective and I definitely feel that I will be more grateful when I return to campus.

6.) Eat Lunch

Then in the middle of the day, I eat lunch. I usually eat a salad with my mom.

7.) More Zoom Calls

8.) Take out my dogs

9.) Dinner

10.) Go on a walk

Usually, I like to go on a walk with my mom in the evening. This is a time we can talk about our days and regroup on how we are feeling. Because we are both so busy with work and school, this is the perfect time to bond. Usually we bring our two dogs, Nikko and Ginger onthe walk with us. Here is a picture my mom took while we were on a walk.---->

11.) Hang out with my mom

12.) Get ready for bed

After the long day, I find myself super tired. So, then I brush my teeth and wash my face to get ready for bed.

And that is my daily routine! I think it is so important for UCLA students to have a healthy routine that keeps them above water. However, I want to state that it is okay to have off days. It’s okay to stay in bed the whole day because you just don’t feel like getting up. Being intune with how you are feeling during this COVID-19 pandemic is crucial. This pandemic has been a toll on many students’ mental health, so it is okay to take one day at a time.

This is a time to not be too hard on ourselves. Take care of yourself. <3