by Ifeoma Ikedionwu and the YE4C Editorial Board       

Many people are missing concerts, sporting events, group hangouts, and other social gathering events. These lifestyle changes can be especially hard for young people and affect us in different ways. Some of us can’t visit our classmates and friends in the same way as before. Unfortunately, these new social challenges did not come with guides on how to navigate them successfully.

To help youth who are feeling overwhelmed, the YE4C interns have gotten together and created a list of tips we have used to help adjust to this new situation. We hope these tips help you maintain your personal wellbeing and find some comfort in this new normal.

1. Take Care of Your Physical Wellbeing
   • Try to start or end your day with light exercise. The CDC recommends an hour or more of regular exercise for young adults. There are countless videos and apps online where you can sweat along with instructors for fun!
     • What Exercise Counts? https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/what_counts.htm
     • How Much Physical Activity Do You Need? https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm
   • While you’re at it, experiment with new and easy recipes. We can’t go out to get fast food as often and grocery runs are limited. Now is the time to practice your cooking and learn some easy recipes.
     • Healthy Recipes https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/recipes.htm
     • More Healthy Recipes https://healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov/
2. Connect with Others
   • Even though you may not be seeing your peers in class or at work, you can keep in touch with them through regular phone calls or video chats. Many online streaming sites are providing discounts and expanding their movie options during this time. Syncing up with your friends and streaming your favorite shows and movies at the same time may be a fun way to reconnect.
3. Make Time for Family
   • When you're around the same people 24/7, it's very easy to get on each other’s nerves. Give yourself and your family members appropriate time alone, but plan for some fun downtime activities a few times a week. For example, try family game night, movie night, or a family cook-off. It’s a great way to de-stress and remember that you’re there for each other during these ever-changing times.
4. Explore New Hobbies
   • With extra downtime, now may be a good time to explore new interests or dive into your creative side. Some examples include:    
     • Sewing
     • Coding
     • Knitting and crocheting
     • Learning a new language
     • Painting
     • Reading 
5. Get Inspired
   • It may be difficult to stay motivated when times get difficult. Now would be a great time to flex your creative muscles. Create a motivation board filled with things that bring you joy or inspiration, your future career goals, or things you are looking forward to doing in the future. If you aren’t feeling artistic, consider journaling these thoughts and ideas into a notebook.
      

With these tips, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Young people everywhere are adjusting to this new normal as well. It is okay to feel under pressure and take more breaks than you normally would. YE4C would love to hear how you are handling social distancing and self-quarantining. Check out our Facebook and Instagram to join young people everywhere during this difficult time.