We’ve all heard of COVID-19, but have you heard of COVID-20…. No you say, well let me tell you about it… COVID-20 is all about Communicate Outside time Vitality Isolation awareness Diversify 2020. I know it’s me being a bit silly with it, but my message is still a really good one.

Communicate – with your friends, with your teachers, with your parents and with your extended family. Don’t shut yourself off, rather have conversations with people. Use all that wonderful technology we have to stay connected. Face-time, emails, group chats. Don’t forget your teachers are all still here, so ask for help if you need it. Communicate! If someone is at home with you then remember they are also in need of some human communication so go talk to them.

Outside time – go pat the dog, have a swim in your pool, go shoot some hoops in your driveway, go water the garden, go read a book on the patio. Get outside! Fresh air, birds to hear, sunshine on your skin. Blissful. The blue of our Australian sky is spectacular in autumn – go have a look, I promise it will be worth it.

Vitality – find that ‘thing’ that gives you your zest. I know our circumstances are different but you still need to feel that joy. If your thing was dance classes then try dancing in your living room. If your thing was the production then get on a group video chat with your fellow cast members and do a run-through of a scene. If your thing was seeing your friends over the weekend then now is the time to get together online. If you’ve lost the ability to do something you love then you need to find a new way of doing it, or replace it with a new thing to give you balance. Find a way to keep your vitality, your zest for life. Keep your joy!

Isolation awareness – obviously look after yourselves but also look after others. Yes, reach out to your friends, but also your parents or grandparents and brothers or sisters. Let’s really notice each other in our homes and consider how these times might be affecting us all differently. With families now living together possibly 24/7, or close to it, it is going take a concerted effort not to snap at each other. At times we need to ‘let it go’. Does it really matter if your sister left her toothbrush on the bathroom bench, or is it really that bad that dad forgot to turn the dishwasher on? It is important to remember that everyone is feeling the impact of these changes. Do something for someone else at home, like take mum a coffee, fold up your brother’s washing for him, tell your family you love and appreciate them. An extra dose of love and tolerance will go a long way these days.

Diversify – think outside the box, get creative with your solutions, try something new. Don’t sit at your desk all day every day. Sit at the kitchen table sometimes or why not go sit up at your pool under the shade umbrella. HAVE A BREAK, get some difference and diversity happening, try something new.

2020 – well, it will be a year to remember won’t it! Something to tell future generations about.

Let's COVID-20 together

Bronwyn McCue

Senior Academic Mentor