When I first received the email from the University about the remainder of the semester being moved to online classes, I really did not think it would be that bad. Honestly, so far, the classes themselves are indeed not that bad. The hardest thing to adjust to has been the drastic change in my schedule. 
See, back when classes were still meeting on campus, I would go to class, then work and the rest of my day was spent with friends doing different activities on campus or completing different class assignments. I figured when I returned home to take classes online, my life would be much of the same, with the exception of not leaving my house a lot. 
Well, I was wrong. Very wrong. The first two weeks of being back home consisted of me sleeping between the hours of about 3 a.m. until nearly noon. Then, once I decided to get up, I would eat the day away and alternate between watching television and scrolling through social media. Sometimes, I would do them at the same time. Although it sounds like a nice laidback lifestyle, I ended up getting myself into this vicious cycle of getting nothing done. I was the definition of lazy and procrastinated more than I could have ever imagined possible. I knew that I had to fix this pattern.
Luckily, online classes started, and I made a promise to myself that I would treat each day like it was a typical day on campus. I now wake up at around 7 a.m., make my bed and get fully dressed, as if I had to walk to my first class. Once I pour my morning cup of joe, instead of returning to the comfort of my bedroom, I sit at the coffee table in my kitchen for class. 
Once my classes for the day are over, I try to be productive by getting some sort of exercise outside. This has started to become the highlight of my day, considering there is not much else to do. Seeing my fellow neighbors outside enjoying nature and each other’s company really brings me a lot of joy. 
When I am not outside, I have tried to use my time to learn new things indoors. Before the shutdown, I never had time to do anything other than school or work. Now, I have taken a liking to cooking, baking and playing the piano. It is truly amazing how many things I was able to do when I did not have a screen shoved in my face. 
I think that when all this come to an end, it will be very hard to readjust to the lives we lived before. My advice is to keep as regular of a schedule as possible for the duration of the quarantine, so you’ll be able to readjust when life returns, as well as be more productive while stuck at home.  
The world being shut down in the blink of an eye truly showed me what is important in life. I would never want this quarantine to happen again, but I have learned a lot. Instead of doing what is comfortable or convenient during this crazy time, I challenge everyone to be productive and do things you never had the time to do before. You may be surprised by how much you learn.
Elizabeth Crochet is an 18-year-old political communication freshman from New Orleans, Louisiana.