Living with anyone is difficult. Add a pandemic and a lot of people in a small space on top of that and you can approach almost impossible. To help combat this difficulty the number one piece of advice I can give you is: COMMUNICATE. The second piece of advice I can give: Find time to go outside. This can either be a group activity or something you do on your own, but make sure you have a time where you go outside everyday. For our apartment this time has become our daily sunset bike ride and it has worked wonders for my mental health.
Especially if you live in a place as beautiful as Isla Vista, but even if you live somewhere that wouldn’t typically be described as “beautiful”, find places outside that make you happy. Spending time outside helps you to relax, take your mind off of school for a moment, and get your body moving a bit (something that doesn’t seem to happen as much with online school).
For me, sunset bike rides have not only been a time for me to move a little and relax, but it has become a wonderful time for bonding. Something about the sunsets brings out the sort of interesting and deep conversation that is so important to building relationships.
Think about the outdoor experiences around you and maybe go outside for a bit today. Take a walk? Ride a bike? Go for a swim? The possibilities are endless.
