As universities and colleges across the globe have made the switch to online education, Lord Procrastination makes his first move. Students everywhere are struggling with the pandemic, whether it be financial hardships, educational barriers to online learning, and the list goes on. So, what can you do during this time to cope with the pandemic? What can you do to stay on top of your life?
It is important to not succumb to procrastination and the monotonous cycle of scrolling through Facebook and Tiktok. Part of practicing mindfulness as a student is being able to control your emotions and utilize your focus wisely. Besides online classes and college, there are a wide variety of things the pre-health students can do during this time.
1. Harvard is offering free online courses.
From courses in computer science to religion to literature to entrepreneurship training, Harvard and other ivy league schools have opened online courses to the public. Although you can’t get credit for these courses for your curriculum, you can get certified and put these on your resume. Plus, there are some pretty cool courses that aren’t taught at the regular university.
2. Improve manual dexterity and perceptual ability.
This is mainly for pre-dental students. One component of your AADSAS (dental school application portal) application is a description of your manual dexterity skills. Take this quarantine time to learn a new instrument, take up fishing (tying the knots count!), learn how to sew, draw, paint, or sculpt.
A big component of your DAT (dental admissions test) is the PAT section: perceptual ability test. This section comprises of 6 different perception tests. This section requires incredible practice in order to master each test. There are many websites like DAT Bootcamp and PAT Booster that you can use to practice scoring a 30 in this section.
3. Organize and stay organized.
It’s a no-brainer that college life can get pretty hectic, pretty quick. A simple trick for practicing mindfulness that many people often overlook is to stay organized. Mindfulness is the practice of awareness. Now is the chance to put your life back in order and sort out your goals and priorities for the rest of the year.
This also means making lists of what you can do to boost your application for graduate/professional school. Make a list of where you want to shadow or where you want to volunteer after the quarantine. After this pandemic, many shelters and kitchens will be opening back up with a lot of projects to help improve the community, and now is a good time to get a head start.
4. Play brain games to improve memory.
Research done by Harvard scientists have suggested that brain games like chess, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or creative processes like painting, learning a language, or playing an instrument improves critical thinking and increases cognitive reserves.
5. Make a blog/vlog.
Whether it’s to connect with old friends and family or to educate or to simply be a hobby, make a vlog or blog about something you’re passionate about. When you’re engaged in your passion, it’s easier to become better at it and improve in it.
6. Watch TED talks.
One of my greatest essay writing secrets and personal statement tips is getting inspiration from TED talks. TED talks have videos on a multitude of topics, ideas, and creativity.
7. Learn a new language.
Duolingo is the new Rosetta Stone. It’s free and available online or in the app store. Watch videos on Youtube or movies and show in the language you want to learn. I recently watched the Grammy award winning movie Parasite. After watching explication videos of the movie on Youtube, I learned that there were little Easter eggs and nuances in the movie that could only be caught by a Korean-speaking watcher.
8. Learn a new physical skill or hobby.
Start cooking. Try skateboarding. Go for mental walks, and make it a habit. Try soap carving or looming. Learn a Tiktok dance. It’s important to be in tune with your physical self. It’s easy to sit at a computer or on the phone for hours on end. Learning a *physical* skill or hobby helps you get up from your spot and become aware of your space and what you like doing.
There are a million little things that you can do during a quarantine such as reading a book, updating your resume, cleaning your closet, etc. These 8 things are unique to pre-health students and their learning culture and also helps with practicing mindfulness and staying complete during this period of quarantine and isolation.
Study Tea 