The pandemic has forced us to stay at home and abandon studies and other activities we were engaged in, handling such situations is usually not easy, and especially the extroverts like us who enjoy banter and social gatherings. The usual lifestyle has changed and we have nothing but to comply with the ministerial instructions because we understand what is at stake, and that special circumstance requires special responses as president Yoweri Museveni mentioned.
Most of our colleagues and students at the International University of East Africa have opted to stay in Uganda since it was safer that way, however there are those that felt it was safer in their home countries with their families. But we all share the sense of urgency and we are partially playing our roles such as staying home and regularly washing hands to help tame Coronavirus.
The hardest part of quarantine is change of lifestyle and adapting to it. To some this has presented a break and an opportunity to those must do’s they had planned, others are catching up with books, I am personally enjoying reading the majority of the books I had not read due to lack of time at the same time writing my thesis in peace. But perhaps the people enjoying the most are the social media freaks, TIkTok enthusiasts especially, we have seen how these funny challenges have kept us entertained and put a smile on our face. IUEA students as always are very active in such challenges and some will be posted on the university digital platforms.
Since social distance does not mean digital distance, I caught up with colleagues and fellow IUEAtans to see how they are holding up and the tips on how to deal with quarantine.
Hermon Eden, a CLAPS student from Eritrea, tells me, she watches movies and exercises. “I spend most of my day watching movies, I can now happily call myself a movie expert, I then do little indoor exercise. And then I go online to follow what’s happening elsewhere in the world and keep in touch with my friends and family.” Eden highlights.
Ornella Arakaza, a business student from Burundi says she is already missing school and can’t wait for the school to resume.”I am honestly tired of staying at home, it’s so irritating, you get tired of doing the same things repeatedly, I have managed to watch movies, tried to read books and socialise online but still you can tell there is something missing. I hope this gets over and we resume classes.”
Kevin studies IT and is currently in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, he says in all he does he makes sure he never forgets to wash his hands. His day is mostly coding and working on his final year project. Also he plays soccer with his siblings inside the compound.
“I follow online what’s happening, I read books, do home stuff like cooking, and sleep as often as I can. People here are less concerned and it’s scary so I manage to limit contacts as often as I could” says Sheikha Swalleh , business student from Malindi, Kenya.
“I think it is lagging my plans behind, everything I had planned for is in jeopardy. So basically I am pissed at Coronavirus. I spend most of my time checking what is going on around the world, I badly want to know when life will resume” the seemingly irritated Peter Muna tells me.
Corona hasn’t affected students alone, my colleague in marketing Peter Amanya Banks who heads events at the campus, tells me that the pandemic has put everything on hold including the events that were to light up the university such as cultural gala and Guild elections. Like everyone else, he is working from home.
According to experts, confinement can lead to psychological effects. The isolation imposed by quarantine frequently leaves people feeling that they have no control over the situation. They also feel cut off from the rest of the world and unable to perform their usual duties.
As schools close, workers opt to telecommute, and other social events are cancelled, the prospect of being confined to your home because of quarantine can be daunting. Time seems to creep by much more slowly after you’ve been at home for a long period of time. Even if you are home with other family members, the sense of isolation and cabin fever can be powerful. Feeling isolated can lead to poor sleep, poor cardiovascular health, lower immunity, depressive symptoms, and impaired executive function. When executive function skills are impaired, you may find it more difficult to focus, manage your emotions, remember information, and follow directions.
Here are tips on what to do during quarantine
- Establish Routines
- Be as active as possible
- Combat frustrations and boredom
- Communicate
- Stay informed but not overwhelmed
- Remember why you are doing this.
Since we are still weeks away from normality it’s better to follow such advice and keep improving our selves in all aspects such as learning new skills. For readers, IUEA library has an online portal where you can access materials, Scribd an app that has millions of books is now free, and Nikon is giving free online photography classes. YouTube has millions and millions of content about anything from cooking to opening a door (yeah you heard that right).
By the time this is all over, we will have many interesting stories to share, that’s in 2020 AC (after Corona) Stay safe.
by: @iamshyaka | Student at International University of East Africa
