Embracing moments of fresh air

In my time at Bloomsburg University, I’ve had my fair share of online work. This past year has taken it to an unprecedented level. Our classrooms, internships, and essentially our daily lives have been immersed in our screens due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I used to take for granted all the times we had to submit hard copies of our assignments or drudge to class in the wintertime, but now I’m finding myself buried in online assignments or admittedly, with my nose in my phone.

Screen fatigue is real. Trust me. There’s so much time spent sitting behind a screen — whether on it’s on my laptop, on my phone, or even focused on TV. I’ve made it a mission this semester to free myself from this and combat it head on.

Okay… that sounds great, but what are your secrets?

For starters, I’m not afraid to take breaks. This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of times I’ve gotten down on myself for not being able to power through my days like I used to. We don’t get those momentary breaks walking to our next class or grabbing a quick bite to eat from Husky, but instead sit fixed in front of a laptop for hours on end. No one knows yourself better than yourself. If my brain is telling me we’ve had enough, I’m okay with taking a step back and letting myself breathe for a while. I think this is one of the most important things for my sanity, because otherwise my brain is fried by the end of each day.

During these breaks I really like to catch up on things I genuinely enjoy, like cooking, painting, or even reorganizing my room to keep myself inspired. Having some ‘me time’ never hurt anyone and, honestly, it keeps me from losing sight of myself.

Another thing I’ve been doing is embracing my moments of fresh air. Whether it’s just sliding my window open to feel the cool, wintery breeze or going on a walk in our (numbered) warm weather days, I take in the freeing feeling the crisp air gives me. Being bound up inside in front of a screen can be exhausting, so it’s nice to have an escape from time to time.

Ever since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve noticed how my friends and I tend to do everything cooped up inside. We attend classes online, binge-watch the latest shows, and mindlessly scroll through TikToks — sometimes not even acknowledging each other or the world around us. After a while I just need a break from the screens, and I need to bring myself back to reality. Getting fresh air is one way for me to undoubtedly do just that.

But what about those times I can’t step away from my devices?

I pull out my handy-dandy blue light glasses. Some may say they’re gimmicky, but I think they’ve helped turn my fatigue and exhaustion around. I used to experience headaches after long days of being online that I could hardly see straight. Finally, I invested in a pair of inexpensive blue light glasses in an effort to bring these side effects to a halt, and sure enough — they did. Now anytime I’m feeling strained or ready to sign off, I throw on those glasses and I’m ready to tackle more work.

All of these coping methods make me wonder where our technology is going to take us. Will we ever return to face-to-face interaction? Will we stop our endless consumption of Netflix and Hulu shows? Or put our phones down to give us a break from time to time?

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing to do when it comes to screen fatigue is to simply listen to yourself. The pandemic has changed all of our lives so being able to adapt and make the best of our situation is critical for living in a time of uncertainty. I’ve learned to take on virtual life a day at a time, and I’m determined to make the best of whatever the future has in store.

— Caprice Gillick, a senior communication studies major with an emphasis on leadership and public advocacy, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this spring. She is a native of York County and a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife