Editorial: Coping with social distancing and self-isolation

In today’s dynamic of what is going on in the world, it is a firm telling of what we are dealing with today. With social isolation comes an urge to go out and do things that we normally do. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it is anymore. Even though I have an essential job of working with the press, there are times when I just want to go out and say hi to my family or student-athletes.

But with that said, the question now becomes what do you do for what could essentially be a two-and-a-half month stay at home unless you’re working. Normal everyday activities or just going out to see friends is now a chore and a no-no. When I think about that time frame, I think about how I was a student in school and we had those long, summer breaks and didn’t see our friends. When we do reconnect with those people, then they will have changed, and so would you.

So now comes the mindset of what we can do with minimal action that will keep us occupied or entertained for two months? For the younger generation, they are pretty much good to go as they have various social media platforms to interact. For people like myself who live in Charles City and New Kent, our contact with the outside world is a mix of face-to-face and social distancing can be a difficult transition. For example, Internet service in both of these localities is spotty at best. No matter how much companies promise you, it still won’t keep you connected, as you need to be, especially if you have to work from home.

For the older generation, they tend to enjoy television and the newspaper. They are more hands-on and enjoy things such as tinkering with cars, working in their garden, and so forth.

Overall though, we must learn to find coping mechanisms that work for ourselves and what’s best for us. Some people can play video games all day, while others need to get outside for brisk walks. As much as we want to hug each other and have that physical contact, we must consider the risk.

Be smart with your decisions going forward as we continue to work with each other. There are still things you can do and activities that you can share. Even here at the Chronicle, we are coming up with ideas to get our community involved to share their stories on how they are dealing with this issue.

Simply put, continue to stay strong and have faith. Stay in touch with those who you miss because they need your support as much as you need theirs.