Our international students top tips for staying positive during quarantine

It’s a strange and unusual world we are all living in right now. As many of us adjust to staying at home, and not seeing friends and family, we could all do with some reassurance. We reached out to some of our current international students to see if they would share their advice for coping with quarantine.

Although some of the tips were very subjective to the person, many of them had similar suggestions and themes. We have therefore combined them together to make our ultimate top 10. We hope they offer you some support and positivity in these challenging times.

1. Keep connected

This seems an obvious one, but many students spoke about the importance of keeping in contact with friends and loved ones during isolation. Asima, from Malaysia, says: “Remember that self-isolating does not mean that you are completely cut off from the outside world. While it is normal to feel worried that you can’t see people face-to-face, it is important to use technology and still speak out to someone you can trust.” Llnnall, from Dominican Republic, gave this tip: “Call two people every day and check up on them, I have rekindled quite a few friendships in the past few weeks from doing that!”

2. Do not overwhelm yourself with the news

It is easy to get consumed by the constant negativity in the news right now, and that often leaves us feeling depressed and anxious. Ambra, a fourth-year Romanian student, suggests: “Try to limit the amount of time you watch the news. Be aware of what is going on, that’s important, but stay calm and remember there is more to your day than just the updates.”

3. Make time for activities

We may not be able to physically see our friends and family or go to the same places we would usually socialise in. However, people have taken to the internet to get

creative with how they are spending their leisure time within the government regulations. Suggestions from our students included; online karaoke, taking online tutorials and watching films and boxsets. Asima suggested getting around to those tasks you never have time for in daily life, such as sorting your room or clearing out your wardrobe. Ambra mentions using up ingredients to bake that ‘banana bread’ that is all over Instagram and other social media accounts. It is about being creative with your time and still making time for you.

4. Exercise

Almost every student we spoke to mentioned the importance of exercise. Joyce, from Malaysia, hates working out alone so she suggests Skyping a friend so you can motivate each other. There are also tons of online workouts you can join in with ‘live’ to feel part of a community. LLnnall says: “Exercise has been proven time and time again as one of the best ways to overcome stress and release those endorphins which improve our mood. Although gyms are closed we can replicate that at home; bodyweight exercises are a great way to keep fit and you don’t need that much space to do them.”

5. Take time to reflect

Everything that is going on right now can lead us to feel overwhelmed. Avoid this feeling by focusing on your own health and well-being. Joyce recommends a daily diary. She said: “Writing a diary might seem pretty old school, but I feel it’s a way to record a time like this and keep thoughts in check.” Asima talks about making time to plan your day. She says: “Planning might help reduce thinking about troubling thoughts. Create a routine you can stick to and create a sense of normality and structure.”

6. Improve your cooking skills

Many of us are finding we now have more time to cook and experiment with new recipes. Ambra mentions that: “Many restaurants have officially closed their doors, but they are still trying to keep in touch with their customers by offering different online classes.” Follow your favorites on social media to find some new recipe inspiration to spice up your weekday meals. You never know, you might find you have a talent you never knew you had.

7. Throw a ‘virtual’ house party

Okay, so you can’t physically have a party with all your friends but there are so many video apps out there making it easy to get together in the online form. Ambra says: “Party outfit on, make up and nails done, music on. A virtual party is a great idea to catch-up with friends, whilst enjoying the comfort of your home, so why not give it a try?” Llnnall informs us that: “Most of the university societies now run virtual meet-ups and if you were planning on joining one but were maybe a bit shy before, now is the time to go for it!”

8. Find a new hobby

Are you an expert at puzzles? Found a new love for reading? Realised you have a talent for making your own clothes? Whatever it is, now is the time to find a new passion. Llnnall suggests setting aside 30 minutes a day on developing goals that you have been putting off. He says: “The university offers free access to LinkedIn learning but there are many online resources that are useful for developing new talents.”

9. Become a ‘virtual tourist’

Have you always wanted to explore more of the UK as an international student? Well now you can but from the comfort of your own home. Ambra mentions that some famous museums, zoos and even theme parks are open for you to explore online. She suggests: “A cup of tea and cake are required for an adequate experience!”

10. Keep connected with UON

We understand you are feeling uneasy about the changes to the way your course is being delivered, but we are doing all we can to update you and make the process as smooth as possible. Keep in touch with your tutors and your peers. Make sure you attend online lecturers and if you have any concerns, get in touch with us. We are all working from home and happy to help.

A huge thanks to students Joyce Tan, Nur Asima, LLnnall Emmaunel and Ambra Paduraru for contributing to this post and sharing their positivity when we need it most.