quarantine – Surobi Scribbles https://surobiscribbles.com Every Small Scribble Can Turn Into Art Mon, 27 Nov 2023 10:19:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://i0.wp.com/surobiscribbles.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-Snapseed-1.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 quarantine – Surobi Scribbles https://surobiscribbles.com 32 32 194697337 How To Survive Online Classes https://surobiscribbles.com/how-to-survive-online-classes/ Sun, 06 Dec 2020 15:42:13 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=889 Online school is something that many people did not expect to go through. Well, many people also did not expect a global pandemic. Nevertheless, many students and workers are doing their work from home. As a Year 11 GCSE student, I was told to self-isolate as well as about 17-18 other girls as we had all been identified as close contacts with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. So while most of my year group was attending school, I and a few other girls were at home. Here is my experience of online school and some tips I found helpful along the way. 

Figure out how you will be receiving work 

Firstly, find out how you will work from home. Will you have to join live classes from home through Google Meet, do tasks the teachers set you or just revise independently? I had to do all three so figure out when you will do all of these. 

Make a good routine 

For me, waking up early worked best. Stick to your school timetable as much as possible, and make sure that you try to get all the work done within that lesson. This will add structure to your routine and make it feel like you really are going to school.

Make to do lists

Have a piece of paper with all your tasks for each of your subjects, and then tick off or highlight when you have finished it. You can then add other tasks you want to complete such as schoolwork.

Have a post it note for questions

If you will be returning to school soon and you want to ask some questions to your teachers in person, I would advise getting a post it note or even a small notebook dedicated to writing down all your questions. You won’t forget to ask all the questions you have!

Get organised

Make Google Drive folders and keep your notebooks tidy.

Try to have breaks without the screen

Many people are used to going on social media and being in front of a screen after just spending hours on front of another screen. This is not only harmful for your eyesight, but also for your concentration levels. Instead, take regular breaks in which you leave your study space and do other activities such as talking to your family, which will leave you feeling replenished.

Change environments

When you are in school, chances are that you are moving to a new environment every lesson and this may subconsciously make you feel more productive. Therefore, do the same thing at home and after every lesson, go out of your room for a break or for your next study session, study somewhere else in your room. It’s you tricking your brain into thinking you are ‘commuting’ when really you might be in the same room.

Have other extracurriculars 

If you have online classes, you may feel like you are studying continuously all the time. However, if you incorporate activities that will also add value to your life but not necessarily be academic, you will feel accomplished in other ways. You can do this through an extracurricular activity such as making a podcast or starting a YouTube channel. 

Have someone that will keep you accountable

If you want someone to be there to motivate you, you may need that one person to do it. I would advise having someone in your life that will check that you are working. For example, if you have an older sibling, they could check every hour to see if you are working. Alternatively, you could have a friend whom you send your to-do lists via social media every morning and in the night, you could check if you completed all those tasks (make it a friendly little game). 

Have a positive mindset about online classes

If you tell yourself that you hate online classes, then you will hate it. So please try to keep positive about having online classes and try to enjoy this new experience. Remember, that there are many people who do not have any access to education at all but at least, we still have access to education, whether it is online or in school.

If you do online classes, make sure to tell me in the comments down below! 

This pandemic is testing everyone so do not think you are alone.

Now get working!

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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How to Catch Up With Schoolwork https://surobiscribbles.com/how-to-catch-up-with-schoolwork/ Sun, 15 Nov 2020 17:39:06 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=880 During the winter, it is inevitable for many people to get sick with a flu or cold. However, due to COVID-19, there may be even more possibilities of you staying at home and having to miss those vital lessons in school. If you have just missed a day, a week or even a few weeks of school and you are concerned about how you will catch up with this huge pile of work, then do not fear as in this article, I will share some simple steps to catch up with any schoolwork you have missed. 

Step 1: Find out what work you have missed

For each of your subjects, ask someone in your class or your teacher about what you have missed. They can show you and you can understand how much work you have to catch up with. 

Step 2: Try not to miss any more school

After seeing this huge amount of work, you may feel overwhelmed and confused on how you are supposed to catch up with previous lessons and stay on top of the current lessons. The best thing to do is not to add extra work on yourself and just try not to miss any more school. 

Step 3: Make a revision timetable and a routine

For the first few days or weeks of catching up, you may feel disorganised. My tip would be to create a routine with times designated to do work that is being set now but also times where you are completing tasks from the previous lessons that you missed. Try to focus on one or two different subjects every day and if you follow this, you will see progress. 

Step 4: Create to do lists with deadlines

Now that you have made a routine and know at which times you will study (remember to incorporate breaks!) you now want to start creating daily to-do lists with deadlines. I like to use my bullet journal and I can also migrate tasks for future dates. Plan every day and make sure what you have to do and this will keep you on track to finish the work. 

Step 5: Remove distractions

Now you may sit at your desk, your couch or the floor (wherever you study) but you don’t feel motivated to get started. Is it because you have your phone next to you? If so, remove your distractions and start being productive.

Step 6: Seek help from your teachers, friends and parents

Whether you are feeling stressed with this work, or you don’t understand the catch up work, I would advise you to seek help from your peers, teachers or parents. It is okay to share your feelings and get some help.

Step 7: Ask for a time extension

If your teacher has set a specific deadline for an assignment, and you feel that you cannot keep up with it, it may be worth asking for a time extension to your teacher so you have more time to complete it. 

Step 8: Don’t stress

Please do not stress. It is just not worth it and will end up wasting more time and energy than actually doing the work.

Step 9: Catch up on holidays

If you have a few tasks that are not urgent and you know you can delay, perhaps you could migrate it for the weekends or the holidays. Since lessons do not happen on the weekends or holidays, you won’t have the current lessons to go to and you can spend this time catching up. 

Step 10: Manage your time efficiently

Catching up is all about time management. When you make your routine, please do include some breaks and maybe some extracurriculars, skills or hobbies that you can also do alongside studying. This will ensure you are not getting bored with studying.

Those were some of my tips and advice on how to catch up. It is okay to catch up with work. As always, comment down below how you catch up with work when you miss school.

Please check out my other articles relating to Islamic content, My Experiences, Teenage Advice, Book Reviews and Poetry.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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My 6-Month COVID-19 Lockdown Diary // A Revolutionary Journey https://surobiscribbles.com/my-6-month-covid-19-lockdown-diary-a-revolutionary-journey/ Sun, 06 Sep 2020 11:59:37 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=789 COVID-19…a virus that has become like a war where the soldiers in it are every single human being on this planet. This time is so prevalent and one that will definitely be remembered in history. From GCSEs and A-Levels 2020 being cancelled to many people passing away to starting my own podcast to doing online school to Black Lives Matter, these past 6 months will surely not be forgotten.

My name is Surobi. I am a 15-year-old teenager who is among the 66.65 million people living in the UK who has been affected by this invisible virus. This article will be presenting some of the key highlights of how my life has been in these 6 months. 

March:

  • Wednesday 18th March 2020 was the first day of lockdown for me. My school was partially closed but then on Friday 20th March, Boris Johnson himself announced a lockdown for the UK. This was the first time in billions of years that this ever had to happen. 
  • Schools all over the country got closed down until further notice and GCSEs and A-Levels 2020 were cancelled, as well as people started working from home. This meant that as a Year 10 student, my GCSE Biology exams were also cancelled and I would get predicted grades from my Biology teacher. Most people slowly stopped eating out often including me and my family.
  • There were certain precautions that everyone had to take which still exists today such as wearing face coverings outside, washing hands regularly and sometimes doing social distancing.
  • I had to start doing online school where my teachers set me work through Google Classroom. Everyone had to adapt to staying at home for a long time.
  • Since the NHS were and are the ones working hard and risking their own lives to save lives, the Government released a ‘Clap For Carers’. 
  • On Thursday 26th March, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, himself got Coronavirus and even some other ministers got it too. 
  • On Sunday 29th March, I made my first ever podcast which is known as ‘The Chat Library’ with my sister.We discuss all girl problems and we post twice a week still to the present day. This really boosted my confidence and pushed me out of my comfort zone. 

April:

  • On Thursday 2nd April, I let my school friends know about my podcast which again pushed me out of my comfort zone but I got a lot of positive feedback and appreciation for it.
  • On Friday 10th April, I started my second anonymous podcast which I will not share here but I also post there with my sister twice a week.
  • On Thursday 16th April, I did my GCSE Biology Paper 2 Mock at home which was definitely a first for me and many others. 
  • On 19th April, I started a mini series on my website where I shared 4 articles talking about my one-month experience quarantining.
  • On Friday 24th April, Ramadan for us Muslims began, and this was the first time I was fasting in quarantine. Mosques were closed and families from different households were not able to eat together, but we went through Ramadan at home. Throughout this month and the next few months, I may have had a spiritual and religious awakening as I pray more and focus on my religion Islam.
  • Boris Johnson was recovered after getting admitted to St Thomas Hospital and he came back to work. 
  • As a person who used to watch Bollywood very frequently, I also found out that on 29th April, a famous actor called Irfan Khan passed away, and the next day Rishi Kapoor passed away (RIP to them both).

May:

  • On 10th May, I started an Instagram for my podcast which is @thechatlibrary, where we post motivational quotes and podcast previews. 
  • On Sunday 24th May, it was Eid-ul-Fitr which I celebrated at home and only went right outside my house to take some photos. Again, this was very different to my usual Eids.
  • On Monday 25th May, one of the biggest tragedies which set a huge fire amongst many was George Floyd’s death, a man who was mercilessly killed just for being black. This went viral on social media, and people started raising awareness of ‘Black Lives Matter’ and even protesting outside during COVID-19. More people also started learning about racism and its history.

June:

  • On 5th June, I activated my old Instagram @valuable.seconds and changed to @surobiscribbles. That is my personal/business account where I post poetry and photography. 
  • My school decided to allow Year 10 students to come into school if they wished to only for 6 days before the end of the academic year. I did not go though.
  •  On 14th June, I found out one of the biggest shocks ever. One Indian actor known as Sushant Singh Rajput passed away.
  • On 20th June, I properly went out grocery shopping with my mother since lockdown began.
  • Near the end of the month, I started having one-to-one meetings with my teachers via Google Meet and this was just such a new experience for me.

July:

  • On 3rd July, a famous Indian choreographer called Saroj Khan passed away (RIP to her).
  • On 17th July, it was the last day of school as a Year 10 student and on that day, I even went to Westfield Stratford with my mother. I took the bus for the first time since the lockdown began.
  • On 19th July, it was my 15th birthday! I got ready, went to my local park with my mother, ate delicious homemade food and cut a small chocolate cake.
  • On 22nd July, I met my three school friends after about four months at my birthday picnic. I, therefore, celebrated my birthday with my friends in my local park.
  • On 24th July, I went to Lloyd Park with my sister.
  • On 31st July, I celebrated Eid-ul-Adha by going to Gokyuzu Restaurant with my sister and this was the first time we ate in a restaurant since lockdown began.

August:

  • Rishi Sunak, one of the Conservative MPs released the new ‘Eat To Help Out Scheme’ where you get a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 3 and 31 August as many times as you like. People started going out much more often and posting food on their social media.
  • I started promoting my podcast  and my website on my personal Instagram page @surobiscribbles
  • On 20th August, along with the other GCSE students, I went to school (after about 5 months) and collected my GCSE Biology results. I reacted to it at home and told my family. Some GCSE and A-Level students had mixed feelings about this.
  • Throughout the month of August, I had travelled to Lea Valley Park, Gokyuzu RestaurantSahara Grill, Franzos , Koz Restaurant, The Urban Chocolatier  and also went normal grocery shopping.
  • Near the end of the month, I disabled my Instagram @thechatlibrary (which had over 100 followers) and my Instagram @surobiscribbles (which had over 500 followers) for my own personal reasons.
  • Chadwick Boseman passed away on 28th August 2020 (RIP to him).

September:

  • On 2nd September, I went out with my friend to Walthamstow Wetlands.
  • I also have done some back to school prep.

My school will be starting again from 7th September 2020 and I will, In Sha Allah, be going into Year 11.

These were some of the key highlights of what happened over the 6 month lockdown. It has been a very different experience. Of course, there is no denying that I did have some low and negative days but you know what, there were more positives than negatives.

I know that this COVID-19 battle has not ended yet and I know that the cases could increase in the future. All my thoughts go out to those who have either passed away, have had loved ones passing away and to every single person’s life who has changed because of this virus. Please comment down below how your life has changed due to COVID-19. 

Please check out my other articles related to experiences for more of the experiences I have been through or feel free to surf through my website for any other article.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day! 

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How Lockdown Has Changed My Life // COVID-19 https://surobiscribbles.com/how-lockdown-has-changed-my-life-covid-19/ Tue, 21 Jul 2020 15:01:51 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=725 Updated on Tuesday 21st July 2020

With over 14 million cases of Coronavirus cases and over 600,000 deaths worldwide, everyone knows how big COVID-19 has been and the numerable impacts it has had on so many people. My name is Surobi, a 15-year-old teenager and I am one of the many people who have faced lockdown here in the UK due to COVID-19. As I have just graduated Year 10 while quarantining for the past 4 months, it has been quite a journey for me at home. So, here I shall tell you my somewhat 4-month review of quarantining and how it has changed my life just like it has for many others around this world.

Now before I get started, make sure to not compare how much you have done to me as I am privileged to be living with a supportive family who has been there with me this whole time, which may not be the same for everyone reading this. Now let’s go down memory lane:

I Created My First Two Podcasts

I wanted to create my own podcast for quite a long time as I actually love to talk, express my thoughts and connect with people. This lockdown was the perfect opportunity where I could have a flexible routine and incorporate a new side project into my life. So in April 2019, I started my first podcast ‘The Chat Library’ with my sister which now has over 25 episodes and some of my friends know about it. Soon after, I created another podcast too, and this is what I now do weekly.

 I Created My Instagram Pages

Another thing that I have managed to do is create my own Instagram pages. I have a whole Instagram  @thechatlibrary for my podcast and I have also started my personal Instagram page where I share my passionate poetry and photography known as  @surobiscribbles. I somehow also managed to grow about 60 followers in my personal Instagram account in just about 2 weeks (what!) This is also something I have incorporated into my routine. 

I Kept A Record For How Many Days I Can Stay At Home 

I am quite an adventurous person and I love to go out. However, this lockdown allowed me to challenge myself and push myself out of my comfort zone by staying at home. I think that it is possible to stay productive and motivated at home and even though going outside may be fun, you need to realise that you have to adapt to change and sometimes be flexible.

It Was More Inevitable To Have Low And Good Days

It is normal that as social creatures, it may be hard when you are suddenly just restricted to staying at home. I have realised that it is okay to feel tired of staying at home and having the discipline to stay as productive as you can be. But, also I have cherished the happy days such as celebrating my birthday at home and really enjoying the small, simple things in life with my nearest and dearest people like my family.

I Got Closer To My Religion

As a Muslim student living in the busy life in the UK, it can sometimes be hard to take a step back and spend some time on your religion. While staying at home, I have built good habits which have changed my routine. Through Salah, my routine is more structured and I know that Allah is there to help me in this uncertain time.

These were five ways that my routine has changed in this lockdown and some of these things will still be carrying on when I go back to school in September. 

All my thoughts go to those who have suffered in any way from this virus whether you have stayed at home for weeks or if you have a loved one who has sadly passed away from this virus. 

I do believe that doing these 5 things have made this lockdown which could have been a negative experience into a more positive one. 

Check out other articles related to COVID-19:

https://surobiscribbles.com/?s=coronavirus

Remember to take care of yourself, and stay happy, healthy and well.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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5 Habits You Should Not Develop While Quarantining https://surobiscribbles.com/5-habits-you-should-not-develop-while-quarantining/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 21:26:25 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=675 Let’s be honest…teenagers can sometimes lack self-discipline and end up forming bad habits. The good news is that you can change this. If you want to be a successful and productive teenager who believes that you don’t need to wait until you are older to achieve your goals, keep reading. Because in this article, I will be sharing 5 activities you might be doing right now which you should not turn into habits while quarantining. And do not worry if you are doing these habits, because we are probably all guilty of this but you just got to take it slow and try to implement this advice into your life.

And, if you don’t already know me, my name is Surobi and I am currently a teenager and a student who shares productivity tips and tricks as well as girl solutions here on this website and over on my podcast The Chat Library. And, remember it is your choice if you want to follow these tips or not.

Here we shall go on to the five bad habits:

Habit #1: Waking Up Late

I know that it is really tempting to stay asleep until midday and sleep at like 1 am but I don’t recommend that. Waking up late is not good as the morning is the time where you have the most energy and probably when everyone in your household is still asleep, so try to use this morning time to get your work done and be productive. This helps you to also start the day with a positive approach.

Habit #2: Having A Longer Screen Time

Okay, this feels inevitable but trust me when I say that it is not impossible to stop doing this. If you have access to your phone or electronic devices 24/7 during this quarantine time, you are likely to use them more. However, my tips would be to have a goal of your screen time on how long you will use it each day and track it in a planner to ensure you know if you reach that target. You could also assign times in the day where you don’t use your phone at all or you give it to someone in your family.

Habit #3: Having An Unstructured Routine

You were probably used to having a fixed or structured routine back when you were not quarantining. And even if you weren’t…this is the time! Build the self-discipline to make a routine as detailed as you want it to be to ensure that you are getting your work done. Fit in times for relaxation, work and even spending time with your family.

Habit #4: Piling Up Work

I know that taking care of your mental health is super important and you may take some time off to take care of yourself but if you feel completely fine, try to get some work done. I know it can be hard at times, but if you do some work now, it will be easier for you later as you won’t have to catch up on a lot of work. 

Habit #5: Not Gaining Good Knowledge

This is the time to also push yourself out of your comfort zone to do something good, whether that is by making a new platform like a website, learning a new skill, or reading a book. Since racism is quite a big issue right now, you may want to research on that or you may want to feed your brain with other good information. If you incorporate this into your routine, you may end up doing this for the rest of your life.

Those were my five top habits you should not do and instead try to do the opposites if you want to really develop yourself and become an improved version of yourself while quarantining. And, of course, remember to take care of yourself especially during this time :).

And while you are already on my website, stick around by surfing around my website and also listening to my Podcast: The Chat Library

Stay happy, healthy and well! Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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My 2-Month Review of Quarantining Due to COVID-19 https://surobiscribbles.com/my-2-month-review-of-quarantining-due-to-covid-19/ Sun, 07 Jun 2020 19:31:33 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=672 Updated on Sunday 7th June 2020

For many people, this lockdown has been quite difficult, harsh and tough. For others, they have understood that this time is not the best but have tried to make the most out of this time. If you don’t already know me, my name is Surobi. I am a 14-year-old student living in the UK who is one of the over 65 million people who are facing the experience of being in lockdown due to coronavirus.

As I am writing this, it is Day 82 of me quarantining from this deadly virus (I started quarantining on 18th March 2020. This is truly an experience that has mixed feelings – sympathetic to those who are suffering from this illness, but also find that you can grow as a person during this time. I have already made four articles on my website about my first one month experience while quarantining which you can check out.

But today, I will be writing about my two-month experience of self-quarantining. 

The only times I have stepped right outside of my house:

Friday 20th March

Sunday 24th May

I Have Got Used To Online School.

Just like many other students in the UK, I have been getting work set from my teachers through Google Classroom. This is quite uncommon but to some extent, it gives me that flexibility to work at my own pace. I also find that my teachers are setting me more work than usual so we do not fall behind so I have been mostly keeping busy.

I Have Learnt More Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is vital for everyone to keep productive and motivated. I think having online school has helped me to take more responsibility and really make sure I am staying on top of my work as I do not want this work to pile up later.

I Have Other Side Projects

I want to ensure that I spend this time having fun at home but also to have come out of this pandemic as a more knowledgable person. So, I launched my own podcast which is ‘The Chat Library’ which is new and exciting (now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more so check it out). I also have another anonymous podcast which I shall not share here but these have kept me busy and connected with my ideas.

I Have Participated In Ramadan and Eid In Different Ways

Every year, I and my family would usually go out to our relatives’ houses, go to a restaurant or travel somewhere far for Eid. However, this year I did not go to others’ houses in Ramadan and Eid. This was quite different but also gave me some time to spend with my family and try something new.

I Have A Longer Screen Time

This was quite inevitable but I have longer screen time as I go on social media but also because I make more content for my website and Podcasts. I also do, however, communicate with my family and have fun with them too.

I hope that this gave you an insight into how quarantine may look like for a 14-year-old girl living in the UK. Of course, this is just my personal experience (not everyone’s) and I am not trying to brag about everything as I am truly grateful for what I have. Please do not compare yourself to my experience and do what is logical and right for you. 

All my thoughts go to those who have loved ones who are suffering from this horrible disease or who have contracted COVID-19 themselves. Please stay at home if you are advised to do so and only go out if it is necessary. Pray to God and take care of yourself and your family and stay happy and healthy :). Please check out my other articles related to COVID-19 below or surf through my website for other articles.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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COVID-19: What Students Should Do Before School Reopens https://surobiscribbles.com/covid-19-what-students-should-do-before-school-reopens/ Wed, 27 May 2020 11:45:30 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=664 All around the world, we are facing an uncertain time of COVID-19, as I am writing this on Wednesday 27th May 2020. Schools have been closed in the UK, exams have been cancelled and so much has happened (as said in sources linked below). This can be very detrimental to many students who may be suffering from mental health issues, those who get bored easily at home, or who lack self-discipline. But do not worry, this is an issue that many students are facing. So in today’s article, I wanted to share a few things that I feel you can do before you return to school. You could use this as a checklist or bucket list and see what you can achieve before stepping in for your first day of school again. Do any of these tips to your own risk and at your own choice.

Take care of your mental health.

Since this is already a very uncertain time, you do not want to burden yourself too much with too much work. This can be the time for you to pause and reflect on yourself. If you lack motivation, feel burnout or require some purpose to get back to work, I recommend that you just take a break for possibly 2-3 days where you take care of your mental health by meditating, praying and talking to someone (video calling or people at home). I don’t recommend using too much social media at this time. However, you should not use the excuse of ‘mental health’ if you feel completely fine and you just want to procrastinate.

Organise your house.

Since nearly half of the academic year was nearly completed, your house may have started looking a bit disorganised. If that is the case, this is the perfect time for you to spice up and clean your house. Redecorate a bit of your house, organise everything and just live in a clean environment that you will feel productive and happy in.

Write down your goals.

As life could have taken a turn for you, especially if your exams were cancelled, it can be hard to define what you want to do currently. So, therefore, I recommend you to just grab a pen and a piece of paper and write down who you want to be in the future. Then try to write an action plan for your goals and how you can reach this. This will redefine your purpose for life.

Make a routine for yourself during this period.

It is best to try to make a routine that is adaptable to you only. If you find that you are distracted by younger siblings, for example, maybe you could wake up earlier when they are still asleep and get some work done before they wake up. Find a routine where you can really manage your time and obviously remember to have breaks in between.

Try to stay up-to-date with your schoolwork.

I recommend that you try to stay up-to-date with your schoolwork as later on, it can pile up. If this is hard for you to do due to the numerous distractions you have around you, then stick to the routine that you have made and maybe tell someone in your family to keep you accountable. You could also try to stick to your school timetable as closely as possible and try to do your lessons, especially if you are set work from your teachers.

Practise self-care.

Self-care does not only mean just having a spa routine, but it also means making sure that you eat well and exercise regularly. This is vital for you to ensure that you are also taking care of your physical health especially before going back to school.

Have a habit tracker.

This relates to my previous point about practising self-care and that is track those habits. Essentially, this is when you have a table with different habits you want to do regularly, such as having limited screen time, praying and exercising. You can tick these off daily or weekly. This will also help to build self-discipline.

Talk to someone regularly.

We, humans, are social creatures and I know it can be hard for most people to be told to stay behind shut doors and not be in the midst of our usually busy lives. However, if quarantining is recommended by the Government, we should follow it but if you need to talk to someone, I recommend that you talk to your family members who live with you at home, or alternatively, text, call or video chat your friends and relatives who don’t live with you.

Have a side project.

If you don’t have an extracurricular activity or a side project amongst your normal workload, then this could be the time for you to introduce this into your life. Starting a side project requires commitment but you can experiment now to see a side project you could do. Examples are creating a website, a Youtube channel, an Instagram or a Pinterest board to share with this world.

Learn something new.

This is also the time to gain some extra knowledge by watching relevant TED talks and documentaries. Knowledge is surely power and if you have always wanted to learn about a good specific topic or read that good book, then this is the time for you to do that!

I hope this article is helpful as it is like a checklist that if you want to follow if your school is currently closed due to coronavirus. Make sure to check out these sources for more information:

Sources:  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-51951914/coronavirus-uk-schools-to-close-to-prevent-virus-spread

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Stay safe and well. Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

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COVID-19 Lockdown Secrets | How To Make The Most Out Of This Time https://surobiscribbles.com/covid-19-lockdown-secrets-how-to-make-the-most-out-of-this-time/ Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:35:00 +0000 http://surobiscribbles.com/?p=500 We have come to a difficult time. From 23rd March 2020, as I am writing this, there are about 353,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases with about 15,000 deaths worldwide. And cases are increasing every day… I am sure you know about this. 

The government recommends that you should quarantine to protect your health and others’ health, specifically the vulnerable people such as the elderly or with underlying health conditions. But with my school being closed, I have a lot of free time in my hands at home so in today’s article, I will share with you many ideas of how you can make the most out of your time while quarantining. It is your choice on whether to follow these tips. Please avoid non-essential travel and avoid social gatherings.

Tip #1: Study

For those of you who still have exams in the future, you should still try your best to study. I know it is unfortunate to not have a teacher to help but do try your best. I am privileged to have teachers who set tasks while I am at home for each of my subjects every day so we are not falling behind. Do some revision but don’t stress.

Tip #2: Read a book

After having a productive day, instead of lounging straight into your bed and going on Netflix, I recommend that you enjoy some creativity with a good old book. If you don’t have many books at home, try finding online ebooks or if you want, subscribe to audiobooks like Audible or Kindle.

Tip #3: Watch movies

Yes, this is controversial to what I said before but after reading a chapter of the book, you may want to go and watch a show. It is fine to do this as long as you are allowed and have done your work but I still recommend not to be glued to a screen all day. We have better things to do.

Tip #4: Organise your room/house.

It is good to organise your room so you feel fresh and especially now that it is coronavirus time, it is useful to disinfect objects in your house, have a clean and also wash your hands regularly for twenty seconds.

Tip #5: Clean up your devices.

Update your phone and backup everything to make sure your information is safe. Delete any unnecessary photos and other apps you don’t need. This will make your phone and your devices feel brand new. 

Tip #6: Watch TED talks and documentaries.

This is the perfect time to develop yourself so I recommend watching some empowering relevant TED talks free on YouTube and gain knowledge. Truly, knowledge is power.

Tip #7: Practise self-care 

After lots of work, you may want to relax by putting on a face mask, getting your sleep and practising self-hygiene. It will make you feel refreshed. That me-time is important.

Tip #8: Produce content

We should hopefully, In Sha Allah survive this outbreak and come out of it as a stronger, developed person. In order to put ourselves out like that, we should produce content such as possibly starting a YouTube channel, starting your own website or creating an Instagram account about something that you are passionate about.

Tip #9: Talk to your family at home

If you and your family are at home and have nothing to do, talk to each other. As teenagers, it can get boring at home by ourselves without much social interaction so talk to your loved ones and have a chat. 

Tip #10: Call your friends

If you still feel bored at home, phone your friends rather than texting as it is better communication than texting where you can’t hear your friends’ voices. This will help you to express your feelings.

Tip #11: Learn new skills

Have you always wanted to learn how to play an instrument, apply henna or learn how to sing? Then do not fear, this is the time for you to subscribe to courses on Youtube or maybe even on websites like Skillshare or Udemy and learn something today.

Tip #12: Look outside the window.

Don’t be tempted to go outside. Just enjoy the weather from your window.

Tip #13: Have time for your hobby.

If you haven’t picked up your camera to make a video or played your guitar, relive those good memories and enjoy some time doing what you love to do. 

Tip #14: Exercise and eat well. 

You don’t necessarily need to go outside to have a good workout- just do some simple stretches or a workout at the comfort of your house (make sure you are careful though) and also stay healthy to boost your immune system. Drink lots of water. Remember, you are what you eat.

Tip #15: Pray

COVID-19 is concerning for all but do not worry. As a Muslim, I try to protect myself and others around me by washing my hands regularly and quarantining but also by asking help from Allah to protect all of us. Your mental health is important at this time and if you have issues with it, seek Allah’s help and also go to websites such as Kooth if you want someone to talk to. Overall, focus on yourself and your family’s well being.

I hope this article gave some insight into some ideas of things you can do at this time. I have also linked some sources for more information. 

Sources: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-51951914/coronavirus-uk-schools-to-close-to-prevent-virus-spread

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

As I said, I know this is a concerning time but do not be afraid, just protect yourself and focus on being positive and having hope that In Sha Allah the world will overcome this. If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your family and friends and check out my other articles:

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day! Stay well!

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