This Monday, March 30, marked the first day of a new e-Learning process for Edina High School students. We know it can be hard to adjust to large changes such as these, so Zephyrus compiled five tips to cure your quarantine blues.

1. 1. Separate your work and home environment. Quite literally every list on working productively from home mentions this, but there’s a reason it is constantly mentioned. You’ll be able to protect the sanctity of your ‘home’ space while remaining productive when you want to work. Even if you’re doing homework on your bed, make the environment slightly different. Don’t work in the same position that you sleep in, or take the larger blankets off your bed to make it less of a place to fall asleep in. Use a lamp or another light, a window is always ideal, to make sure you’re not working in complete darkness. Having a lamp on during the day is a slightly random, yet effective way for me to recognize that I’m working and not mindlessly browsing on Google for extended periods of time. Anything you can do to separate your environment for working and relaxing will help!
   2. Maintain a schedule throughout the day. Yes, e-Learning may feel like an extended break, but that doesn’t mean we should treat it as such. Technically, all EHS students are mandated to operate as if school was still in session, so classes will occur from nine to three daily. When you wake up, make a daily schedule. Keep a journal (physical or otherwise, I’ve found that Notion is a great site with a student discount) to keep track of your goals for the day. 
   3. When you’re not being productive, take a break. If you haven’t already, odds are you will experience a serious case of cabin fever. When you’re feeling unproductive or tired, don’t push yourself. This process will likely be mentally draining; make sure you take a break when you need to. Grab something to eat, walk outside for a few minutes, or take a shower. Do anything that will remove yourself from your work setup and allow you to focus on a different activity!
   4. Keep school social! Allow yourself to have fun and talk with your friends just as though you’re at school. Maintain those study groups you formed at the beginning of the semester—they’re still going to be useful as you navigate these uncertain times. Pull up a Netflix Party (you can download this on Google Chrome as a third-party extension) during the lunch break and take your mind off of class for a while; just because you can’t meet in-person doesn’t mean you need to completely isolate yourself!
   5. Focus on your mental health first. In the middle of a pandemic, it’s expected that you’ll feel pretty on edge. You’re absolutely allowed to be worried; in fact, it’s healthy to be. If you don’t feel like you’re able to focus on a task that you want to get done, don’t worry too much about it! You’re not being lazy, it’s merely a conscious choice to prioritize something else.