See what Isabel from Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering (WECE) has to say about maintaining your mental health without being able to see friends.
Q: How do you keep your mental health in check when it’s so easy to feel lonely without being able to see your friends?
A: Quarantine is getting pretty repetitive now that we’re already into the summer, and it’s natural to feel lonely. Being isolated from friends you were used to seeing 24/7 can take a toll on your mental health, but here are some tips to combat that and stay positive during this time!
Keep in contact with your friends and make it a routine
The first thing that will definitely make a difference in helping you to feel less lonely is to keep in contact with your friends on a regular basis. Nowadays, talking to friends online is easy, with facetime, zoom, google hangout, and houseparty being some of the many ways you can make a routine out of talking to your friends. Personally, I’ve been doing movie nights with my friends and calling them on facetime during the week whenever I miss their company. You can also find other things to do together virtually, such as games like animal crossing and jackbox. There are a bunch of things to do online with friends, and if you run out of ideas, you can always do different activities together in real life. Start watching a TV show together, exercise together, or bake a dessert together. Whatever you do, establishing a routine with your friends in it will improve your mental health a lot, because it also helps you to realize that although so much has changed within quarantine, you are not alone at all!
Start a new hobby or project
Another way to care for your mental health during quarantine is to start a new hobby/project. It can be something that you’ve always wanted to start, something you’ve been putting off, something for the future, or just something for your enjoyment. There’s still enough time, and doing it every day can give you a sense of purpose. By putting your energy into this task, it will not only help you feel more productive with your time, but it will also distract you from feelings of loneliness.
Know you are not alone! Reach out to others for support!
Lastly, know that your feelings are completely valid during this tough time, and that supporting yourself/others can help you feel a lot better. Reach out to others, and I’m sure you will find that they feel the same way. Some of the orgs will start having events soon, so make sure to attend them if you can! If you’re an incoming freshman, this is a great opportunity to make new friends that you will definitely stick with in the coming months. Please reach out to WECE or any of the orgs if you have any questions, concerns, or just need a friend to get through this situation with. :)
You can find WECE on social media here!
Website: sites.utexas.edu/wece
Facebook page: @utwece
Facebook group: WECE at UT Austin
Instagram: @ut.wece
Twitter: @WECEtexas
WECE is an org of engineering women within the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. We create community through social, academic, and professional opportunities!
This blog post was written by Isabel Aguilera from WECE. Isabel is a sophomore ECE student and is WECE's social media coordinator.