By Meredith Howard | Copy Desk Chief

With students’ extracurricular activities canceled, classes moved online and work hours lost, most of us have more time than we did pre-corona. It’s necessary to fill some of that time with productive things, such as schoolwork and cleaning. However, be careful to set realistic expectations for yourself.

Although most students have more time on their hands than they’re used to, productivity is also affected by mental health and emotional issues stemming from social distancing. College students are used to being around peers almost constantly which helps to stay motivated.

Another issue is isolation from support systems. Baylor offers a wealth of assistance to students including tutoring and nice study spaces, and although the institution is providing as much as possible online, it’s clearly not going to measure up to on-campus services.

Because of these reasons, if you expect yourself to perform as well in your parents’ basement as you did in when taking in-person classes, you’re likely to be disappointed in yourself.

Since it’s unlikely you’ll realize all of your greatest ambitions during quarantine, it’s a good idea to prioritize what really needs to be done, complete all essential tasks and spend the rest of your day just taking care of yourself. Whether you enjoy calling friends, baking, skincare or reading, focusing on your well-being will help your psyche to escape this virus with less trauma.

While it may seem attractive to bury yourself in responsibilities to distract yourself from what’s going on, it’s probably unhealthy and it won’t benefit you in the long run to simply ignore what’s going on. We are living in unprecedented times, and processing this is important.

Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about how much or little you are achieving during quarantine. As long as you are fulfilling your responsibilities, it’s okay to spend two hours playing Animal Crossing or watching Jeopardy.