How to: Not Revert Back To Your High School Self During this Quarantine

Do you stare up at your ceiling at night, in your twin size bed, with your parents across the hall, and wonder if you’re reliving your old high school years, falling into the same habits? Maybe it’s the procrastination hole that you swore you’d never fall into again, the constant squabbles with your family, spending too much time in your room alone, spending all your time scrolling...and the list goes on. But how can you fight against falling into your old lifestyle and retain the growth you’ve gone through during college?

Rearrange Your Room to Redefine Yourself

Rid yourself of any potential bad ju-ju by redefining your space. Maybe you want your room to represent your dorm more than your childhood bedroom, or maybe you want to go for a whole different vibe. Are the One Direction posters on the walls glaring down at you, and beckoning you to be a hormonal teen to your parents? While our love for One Direction is still as strong as ever, maybe we want to replace old posters with more updated décor. Before you hop on Amazon to get color-changing lights, look around your house to see if there’s anything you can repurpose, since all of your decorations are stored away in who knows where. If all else fails, move around your desk and give your space a whole new feel.

A New Schedule for a New Mindset

Why stop at revamping your room? Redefine your values and your time by creating a new schedule for yourself — one not influenced by your high school habits. Maybe skip the normal two afternoon naps and opt for one instead. Or, make your new schedule align a bit more with your life at college. Even trying different snacks or changing up your sleeping habits (because we don’t need to be awake at 4 a.m.) can help refresh your time at home.

Limit Time Spent Listening to High School-Era Music

Sure, listening to Lorde on your floor for nostalgia purposes is nice, but does it put you in the best headspace? If your music is bringing you down, change it up! Same goes for those CW shows we all loved (and still love) to watch. Maybe try watching the new Netflix show, “Never Have I Ever,” for an alternative perspective on high school life.

Carve out Some Personal Time

You may not have had a lot of personal time at home during high school, but it might be time to put on your big-kid pants and let your parents and siblings know that you can’t be interrupted during your timed exam. Plus, you need time for yourself. It’s easy to forget that just a few weeks ago you were (for the most part) living an autonomous life. Engage in some ~mature~ conversation with your parents and come to an agreement so that you finally have some time to reflect on this whole situation.

Now that we’re not living with our pals and spending our nights in our childhood bedrooms instead of at late night food places, it’s hard to remember that we’re all in the same boat. This isolation’s got us all in a bit of a funk, but that doesn’t mean you should revert into your not-as-aware, or as-knowledgeable high school self. Approach old situations with a new mindset and remember that change is always possible.