Hello everyone! Welcome to Day 13 of the coronavirus quarantine series. If you’re like me, then you must be feeling some ill effects of cabin fever. I’m itching to get back out into active society and challenge myself through various activities: dancing, attending Toastmasters, possibly getting hired as an entry-level recruiter (more on that later). But alas, President Trump announced today that the shelter-in-place policy will last until April 30, instead of the original April 7 deadline. As disheartening as it is, I think this is the right move. Better safe than sorry, right?
Today was a busy but productive day. I tutored a girl at 10am (barely woke up in time for the tutoring session). Then I went back to sleep, because I needed to rest before my 3-hour session of tutoring kids in SAT English. I got out of bed at around 2pm, hurriedly ate my “brunch”, then prepped for the class with my boss, who runs the SAT tutoring company. Today was our first time teaching the class through Zoom, a platform that allows for video conference calls– kind of like Skype. It’s the new big thing that all the major universities are using in place of in-person classes.
The class, which went from 3-6pm, ran smoothly, for the most part. We spent the first 45 minutes or so figuring out logistics and ironing out technical difficulties. For the majority of the class, I graded essays and corrected homework and in-class assignments. Nothing earth-shattering. I suppose this job will prepare me for when I eventually become a TA, in grad school. Anyway, when 6pm rolled around, I closed my laptop and breathed a sigh of relief. My weekends are usually my busiest time filled with back-to-back tutoring. But I can’t complain. At least I still have a job and can work remotely, am I right?
After resting for a bit, I put on my running gear and went for a long run (with several walking breaks) on the levee. The view of the water and sunset was gorgeous, and for the first time in a while, I felt completely happy and content with my present state of being. If only I could freeze the frame of that very moment, and live in that flow state forever. I wish I didn’t have so many ups and downs in my moods. It’s exhausting, not knowing when the next wave of depression will hit. But I know that with time, experience, and lots of therapy, I will one day be able to better manage my mercurial moods. For now, I simply must manage the hand I was dealt.
As I was running, with the melody of Elton John’s music filling my ears, I felt strangely inspired. One by one, an itemized list of things I wanted to accomplish in life manifested in my mind. Write a book. Build a business empire. Become a sports psychologist, professor, and published author. Write a high-concept fictional novel that will be turned into a movie. Dance competitively and perform in front of thousands of people. Give a TED talk. Am I manic again? Or is this simply a reflection of my passionate self? One thing’s for sure: the dark cloud of depression has lifted, and I definitely feel more like myself.
All in all, today was an excellent day. I am determined to bring my first novel to fruition. I will write every day, for at least 4 hours. This is crunch time. I’m so excited to see what my mind can create.
Oh yeah, one more thing. I mentioned earlier that I was thinking about becoming an entry-level recruiter for some company. I think that experience will help me break out of my shell, challenge me socially, and give me structure and a feel of what a 9-5pm job looks like. Plus, I’ll be making steady income– albeit, not THAT much money, but it’s more than what I am making at the moment. I’ll start looking on Linkedn and Indeed.com for job openings. Will keep y’all posted on what happens with that! Talk to you all tomorrow!
Best,
Belicia
Teenage Struggles 