5 Things Any Student Affected By The 42 Days Lockdown Can Do To Keep Their Mental Health In-check

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

Dear Student,

Last Sunday on the 6th of June 2021, The President of Uganda while addressing the Nation pronounced new Lockdown measures and one of them was to close all schools and tertiary institutions to curb the spread of COVID19. 

Some students in the Universities were about to start or conclude their exams for the semester, some parents had just paid fees for those that had returned to secondary school. It surely is a tough moment and the times are unprecedented.

Makerere University lost a student to suicide and comments on social media say that she battled with depression. 

I made an appeal on my Twitter account @arthurkmo on the 8th of June, see the picture below on what I said, "Please don't commit suicide"

While reading an article from a certain forum, the writer mentioned some of the students said as they packed their bags to go home, they said and I quote, "Shall we ever finish", "Let us go and get married" etc. Such words already point to anxiety, sadness, and any negative form of emotion. It's normal to feel sad and to see whatever but we need to ensure that we rise above finite disappointment and build on our finite hope.

There could be a student in S. 2 saying by now I should have been in S.4, or that one in S.5 saying I should be in S.6 and almost done. All these are legitimate claims but somehow a natural occurrence is happening that requires everyone to put a hold on certain things, it is sad that closing schools is one of the consequences but I want to remind my reader, that your mind and will to learn hasn't been closed. You can turn this negative energy into positive energy. 

Here is a list of 5 things I do recommend you do at a time like this. 

1. Have hope and rise above the current disappointment: Martin Luther King once said, "We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose finite hope" - It is written that hope deferred makes the heart sick, so let us have hope and rise above the current situation, there is a reward for those who never faint not. Hope never disappoints.
2. Connect with your Purpose: What is your purpose? Maybe the 42 days could be a good time to reflect and ask yourself this very critical question. The late Dr. Myles Munroe once said that, "The greatest tragedy on earth is not death but living a life without purpose" After everything Joseph went through with him being sold into slavery and being accused by Potiphar's wife or his fellow prisoners, When his brothers were before him, he said this, ""As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive - Genesis 50:20 - You don't have to go and get married or sleep around and get infected with HIV or even get a pregnancy you had not planned for, You don't have to become an escort as it has now become an easy way for young ladies and men to make money by offering their bodies for sex - Connect with your purpose
3. Connect with your passion: What do you love doing? Is it blogging, counseling, creating content, writing, coding, encouraging, creating problems to everyday problems - This time could be the birth of the Enterprise that will solve human problems and will be built for posterity - Remember, it is written, whatever you do, do it heartily unto God and not unto men.. so fuel your passion, it is the best thing you can do to eventually fund your dream or wild ideas. 
4. Connect with people: It might be hard to physically meet. But What life has taught us is that it is hard to live in isolation. A person who isolates themselves rages against sound wisdom. Call or text someone, reach out to a mentor, reach out to a peer, reach out to those younger, reach out to that stranger, support those in need. By giving meaning to what you do, you eventually find your purpose. How good and wonderful it is for the brethen to unite.. If you can meet in twos or threes while observing SOPs, please do so. 
5. Connect with God: One of the things life has taught me is that, when we live thinking there is no God, somethings will push us to our knees, so that we can call on him and he answers. May be we have been moving to fast without submitting to his lead and guidance.Whether you belief in God or not, that's a discussion for another day - But Just ask yourself, the oxygen that every one is grappling for in hospitals due to COVID who created, who gave the wisdom for it to be put in cylinders, we might not fully explain certain things, but life has taught has that there is a higher spiritual dimension that holds so many things together. 

Focus on your wins not your losses, focus on doing your best now, you have the opportunity, in this dark hour, know that you got strength, strength within to sail you through the current storm.

Food for thought, The Israelites endured the wilderness for 40 years and some how their clothes did not wear out, they were fed on manna. Yes they complained many times because they wanted meat, you might not be able to have meat now but you have what God has given you to sustain you. God can redeem the lost time and he makes everything beautiful in its timing

#Transform #Impact #Empower 

Life Is About Adjustments

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Today is day two of the 42 Lockdown days. 

If you remember the first days of Lockdown, many of us were anticipating that COVID19 would end after a month or two but that did not happen and until now we are still dealing with this pandemic.

One of the most important things that happened to many of us as we listened to the president address us is that we kept on adjusting. We told ourselves we can wait a little more even if the situation was very inconveniencing. Our attitude and minds played a lot in our mental fortitude to sail through that COVID storm. 

As they started to ease down on some of the restrictions, that still required adjustment, those who worked from home, had to again master working away from home and now we are back again to 30% working from the office and others from home, that still requires adjustment, it’s like shifting from one place to another.

There are people who could be distraught and in great despair. You probably started a business after Lockdown and you were now making great strides and boom!!! Somehow things have slowed down after the directive. You could have taken a loan to rejuvenate your business and now what was bringing you money is cut down. You could have paid fees and now the kids are back. 

It’s a tough pill to swallow but you have to remain steadfast and firm. Your mental campus will be key to how you navigate this season. 

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose finite hope” – Martin Luther King 

Choose to drive your energy to some of the great gains you have made, look at the lessons learned, the small wins gained. Just Martin Luther said, let us never lose finite hope. Your hope and optimism right now is your anchor; it is what will keep you going. Focus on what you can and not what you can’t. 

Thich Nhat Hanh said and I quote, “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”

Use these 42 days to grow and do the rights things knowing tomorrow will be better even if the future seems blick. If you are too challenged, say a Prayer and Let God take over.

#Adjust it starts with your mind, you have the power and will to do it.

#Transform #Impact #Empower