How do you survive social distancing???

The past few weeks have been very hard for many of us. Adjusting to life at home comes with many challenges, but I have been working hard to find ways to keep myself busy and motivated while away from my usual routine.

I am usually I very social person, and being away from friends and support networks that I have leaned on in State College has been the most difficult part of this transition. We all know its very hard  to stay motivated if you are constantly feeling lonely and down. To combat this I have taken time to meet with friend groups over zoom. Sometimes we are just hanging out, and others we are talking through some of the struggles we are facing and try to help each other cope. It truly makes such a difference to know your people are still there for you and to just get some time to have fun.

I have also taken some time to work on some professional development. During this time Penn State Extension has opened up many of their online courses for free, and I would encourage you to check out their site for a full course list. I decided to enroll in the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program to become certified to teach this course to students. Additionally, I have been continuing to reaching out to potential cooperating centers and networking with teachers. It's not much, but I want to make the most out of the time I have to continue to diversify myself and gain experiences that I can share with my future students.

Just a few of the courses offered by Penn State Extension through the month of April. Once you register for a course you can access it for a year.

Finally, I have found it very beneficial to stick to some of my old routines (which is quite difficult at home with my family). For example, I would often cook dinner at my apartment for myself and my roommates so I try to take over the cooking sometimes here at home. This is an activity that I really enjoy and its nice to feel productive outside of doing homework assignments.

My favorite recipe: Buffalo Chicken and Potato Bake

Check out the recipe here. Also I think you can always add a little extra bacon!

Overall, I think the key to surviving the social distancing lifestyle is to remember why we are doing this and that it won't last forever. Hopefully we can all grow from this experience and come out stronger than ever. I hope everyone is staying safe and well, and I'll talk to you again soon!

Question: How are you surviving social distancing? Any tips on how to stay motivated while away from school or work environments?