Jordan Patterson 

Opinion Editor 

With everything that has been in the news lately, it may seem as if the world is on fire. The stock market’s been unstable, most businesses are closed, everyone is made to stay in their homes and all the toilet paper is gone. It’s easy to panic and be overwhelmed. However, it’s possible to find positivity in the gloomiest of situations and I believe this is no different. Here are some ways you can deal with depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Catch up on T.V. shows 

Netflix and a dozen other streaming services have developed lengthy watchlists. Life often goes by so fast that we don’t really get the chance to watch everything that looks interesting to us. Now is the chance to finally catch up on all the things we’ve wanted to watch. I, myself, have watched “Jojo Rabbit,” “Knives Out,” “Baby Driver,” “Gurren Lagann,” and some of “Gintama.” Television, music and media in general, have always been a good way to relieve stress. So, now would be a great time to start watching the things you’ve been promising yourself you’d watch. 

Create new things 

Lots of people have different talents or artistic abilities. Writing happens to be a personal hobby for me, and I’ve really come to pride myself on it. I’ve been able to write a couple of poems and a short story in the few weeks we’ve been off. With so much time available it’s a good time to put your creative mind to work whether that be with writing, art, or whatever else you may be interested in. 

Connect with faraway friends and loved ones 

Sometimes we can lose contact with our loved ones or start to grow apart from them a little due to being on different paths. Even though you might not be able to see them there’s still the possibility of texting and messaging over social media. I’m hoping to spend some time talking to my friend that goes to Penn State that I don’t get to talk too much.  

Connect with your quarantine buddies 

Hopefully, no one is experiencing this quarantine on their own. This is a good chance to spend time with whoever you are going to be stuck with, whether they be family or friends. Spending time with loved ones is always a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Getting closer to people and forming connections can really be uplifting and can make some truly happy memories. Just try to keep it under 10 people.   

There’s no denying that things aren’t normal right now, even compared to the usual turmoil in the world. However, it’s important to remember that we are all in this together. 

Make sure you’re washing your hands and following all the other procedures necessary to keep the Coronavirus from spreading and try to find positives in this bad situation. Adversity is a constant in life and it provides all of us with the opportunity to grow and better ourselves. Use this free time to its fullest however you so choose and try not to let stress, anxiety and depression get in the way of that. We know that this is a very serious situation, but there are still many positives you can take from this.

If you still need someone to talk to contact the National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services hotline or dial 999 for immediate mental health emergencies. For those who would rather not speak on the phone, you can also text HOME to 741741 to text a crisis counselor. For ESU mental health services visit www.esu.edu/counseling 

Email Jordan at: 

Jpatters13@live.esu.edu