OPINION: Combating isolation

By Jake Zabski

Being at college can be stressful in ordinary times. Assignments are due, late-night study sessions for exams are amuck, social plans are regularly scheduled, and you are constantly trying to fit in as many memories as you can within the short three-month semester. Being a college student in a pandemic is something I think no one ever expected to experience in their lifetime. The crippling anxiety of the unknown, the isolation factor (whether it’s forced quarantine or just being socially distant), the loneliness, these are all things that have come to arise in many students since March. I myself have experienced this greatly, and I think that it’s important to talk about it and make it much less of a stigma.

Being isolated is something I have never truly felt until now. I think that we, as a community of students, need to come together to support one another in the process of learning how to navigate a new way of living. A lot of people that I have talked to have felt a similar sense of “homesickness” after moving back to campus. While I think many of us are just glad to be back, it is reasonable to feel saddened to leave home where many of us were safely quarantined with a set routine we’ve had for months. For some of us, we had not spent that much time at home since high school and maybe we felt nostalgic for the past, which made it harder to leave and go back to adulthood. Whether you feel one way or another, it is totally acceptable and okay to feel like you are missing out on something. It is easy to put home and your family behind you when you are at school with all of the daunting responsibilities and plans, but it is hard when you are in a situation where being on campus is not the usual fun and entertaining experience it normally is.

Something that I have found helpful has been going outside and being in nature. Not only does it get you out of your room, but it allows you to see a different perspective on things which can be relaxing. We have a beautiful campus with so many outdoor spaces to use to our advantage. Off-campus, there’s plenty of parks and trails, such as Borderland State Park and the Blue Hills to explore, which can make for a fun adventure for when you need to get fresh air. I encourage people if they’re feeling tired and lonely and need a break, either by yourself or with a group of friends (wearing masks and being safe of course!), to explore our campus and surrounding areas. Do things that you wouldn’t do in a regular semester. Be bold. Be adventurous. And remember that all of us are here to support one another and that this will be over soon.

Zabski is a junior Communication major with a minor in journalism.