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How to focus on study when it feels impossible

Life throws major obstacles in your way, often at highly inconvenient and challenging times. During these times study can be the last thing on your mind. Personal and internal battles such as mental health, relationship breakdowns, natural disasters, or grief might interfere with your study at different stages of your degree. In what is undoubtedly a troubling time, it can seem impossible to stay focused on study. Thankfully, there are ways to keep yourself on track, stay resilient, and come out the other end proud of what you have accomplished and overcome.

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How to stay connected with your friends and family throughout isolation

COVID-19 has made the world shift in a way that we’ve never seen before. Amongst quarantine, social distancing, isolation, business closures and job losses it’s no surprise many are finding it challenging to adjust and remain connected with others in the process.

I always knew I was an extrovert but spending the past couple of weeks inside with minimal exposure to the world outside my small unit and my housemate has made me realise how reliant I am on face-to-face contact with others. With all my University courses now online, the ability to work from home and social distancing guidelines in place, I am one of the lucky ones who have the ability to isolate themselves during this time. Trust me, during my first few days of isolation I didn’t feel lucky at all. As a fairly social and active person, staying indoors all day made me feel more disconnected to the world around me than I ever have despite access full to social media and the news.

Above all, my first couple of weeks practising social distancing has made me realise the importance of staying close to those you care about and taking the time to work on relationships despite the barrier of physical isolation.

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Being healthy @ home (and other wellbeing tips from a current well being)

Every morning I wake up and think: “Yep, there’s a literal pandemic outside”. Something very serious I didn’t ever think I might see in my lifetime. But here we are, still going to class via the magical power of the subpar Australian Internet Infrastructure, still handling life however fast it comes at us. So let’s put on some pants, put on a cool shirt, and go through the ways we can make sure we can work in tip-top shape, despite the fact we’re working at the place we once spent 8 hours watching YouTube videos about some kid from London reviewing chicken shops… okay maybe that was just me, but here are some tips on how to stay healthy while studying from home.

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How to maintain a healthy diet and routine at home

Studying from home is a change of pace for many students. Adapting to a new way of learning can be difficult and is especially tough during this time. Setting up a healthy routine and sticking to it when studying from home is essential not only for your own wellbeing but also so you are able to work to the best of your ability.

We know that being healthy means getting enough sleep, exercise and nutrients – but with things in the world changing every day, the added stress can make it difficult to stay on top of things. It’s ok to be overwhelmed! Try and follow these tips to make sure you are looking after yourself throughout this period.

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Combatting Procrastination

It can be incredibly hard to find focus when you have so many distractions around you.

Assignments can be hard enough to complete without any added distractions. How are you supposed to manage your time and complete that quiz when you’ve just remembered that the guitar you’ve been meaning to restring for three years is sitting in the cupboard, calling your name? And how could you open a textbook when this is the perfect opportunity to finally get around to reading War and Peace? Procrastination can be a killer of productivity. Luckily for you, Navigator has compiled a volume of handy tips sourced from university staff and your fellow students.

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How to Balance Study with COVID-19 Anxiety

You wake up with a sore throat and assume the worst is coming. You check your inbox and see the bills you need to pay, even though you’ve lost your job. Maybe you’re not worried about yourself, but you are concerned for a family member.

Whatever the reason, there is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our mental wellbeing. When everything feels out of balance, it can feel impossible to keep up with something so ordinary as uni.

I Zoomed in for a cup of tea with University Counsellor, Dr Emma Kerr, to talk about the ways the pandemic is affecting students’ mental health. Emma also shared her top 3 tips on how to manage those feelings while soldiering on with uni.

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