Staying Sane in Quarantine

Staying Sane in Quarantine

In our current culture of constant movement and instant gratification, being forced to stay at home and wait for things to get better sounds like hell. With schools, workplaces, cinemas, restaurants, and most other services closing you might not know how to distract yourself. Now that most of us are in self-quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak, you might be wondering what we can do with all this sudden and abundant free time to avoid losing our sanity or dying of boredom.

If you are like me, one of your main concerns during this time is boredom. With an increase in free time you might not know where to start or what to do to entertain yourself. If you are interested in gaming, you could look forward to some new releases that can keep you busy for hours on end, such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a life simulation game that could provide you with a sense of escapism as you create your own personal island paradise. On the other hand, you might have a slew of games that you meant to play, but never got around to. If that is the case, then now is a good time to finally catch up on some potential gems that you may have missed.

Maybe you are the type of person that loves to binge watch shows with others, which is a bit difficult at the moment considering the quarantine. Luckily there’s a browser extension for Google Chrome that you can use with Netflix, called Netflix Party. This app synchronizes your video and adds a group chat so that you can invite others and watch your favorite shows and movies together. However, this currently only supports messaging, so you cannot see or hear others.

This time is not only good to catch up on shows, movies, or games you have missed, but you can also use this time to improve your skills or discover some new hobbies. You might have been meaning to work on your cooking skills. Well, now is the time to do so, provided you managed to get some groceries before hoarders have snatched them all. We actually have a post that can give you some tips on how to cook, which you can find here.

Just because you are basically under house arrest, gyms are closed, and you don’t have a home gym, it does not mean that you cannot stay in shape. Body weight exercises are a great way to do exercise without needing equipment or leaving the house. Simple exercises that you can easily do at home include but are not limited to squats, push-ups, lunges, and jumping jacks. Just make sure to warm-up beforehand, and don’t forget to stretch. However, if creating your own workout routine is not your thing, there are a variety of resources online. There are websites out there that can provide you with a specific routine, or maybe you want to follow an actual trainer. Some coaches teach online classes that you can follow at home, or if you don’t want to worry about being seen during your workout you can find fitness videos online to help keep you in shape. Such as Sports Fitness Advisor, Fitness Blender, Turbulence Training, or DoYogaWithMe

Finally, you should also take a break and relax during this time. It is a stressful and difficult situation for many, so it’s also important to take time for yourself. Sometimes, even if you have a lot of free time it is also good to do nothing. Maybe meditate or take a well-deserved nap. This is just a short list of things that you could be doing instead of going insane. I am sure that there are many other activities that I have not covered here. If you have any suggestions for a potential follow-up to this you can either send them to dominik.wachter@outlook.com, or leave a comment below.

Millennial Mentality

Millennial Mentality

Throughout my time here at Webster, there was a term that I began to hear with increasing frequency, and eventually learned to recognize as a positive thing: mental health day. On these days the burden of work, school, and other responsibilities become overbearing and sometimes a breather is the only option to refocus in order to reset. Students will take these “mental health days” off of work or school just to get a much-needed break. I do this myself when my stress levels get out of hand.

 

Of course, this should not be confused with laziness. While some students may be apathetic and do not put in the effort, most others are battling stress, anxiety, and depression (sometimes unknowingly) without the proper knowledge or experience to cope with it. Potentially the largest issue is that many people, such as peers, parents, and professors, do not understand the severity of the situation. Millennials and young adults are often called “whiny” or “lazy” by older generations even though that is the opposite of what I believe to be true.

 

A lot of our newfound pressure comes from the increase in social media. We are told that we are not good enough because on social media platforms we see the “perfect” examples of who people are rather than the reality. We are given unrealistic expectations as to how our life should play out, how we should look, even how we should act. The harsh reality is that the world is not as sweet as portrayed on social media. With the current progression, if we get a degree we are not guaranteed a steady job, and that the environment is in immediate danger.

 

There’s a lot to be worried about, and it’s normal to be dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, however I think mental health days are a good thing because it means this generation is doing something about it. Many young adults are trying to shake the stigma around mental health that previous generations grew up with by talking about it. Mental health issues have always been present in society, but now we have the courage, the ability, and the knowledge to speak up about them. We have decided to say that feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and depression is not okay and to put our mental health first.

 

Luckily at Webster, students have the option to get help with access to free counseling on campus, which is an amazing opportunity that not many people recieve. Many students are not informed of this possibility and therefore may miss out on seeking help when they need it. Bringing awareness to mental health issues and the resources we have to combat it can make a massive difference in the well-being of students and young adults as a whole.

 

I have seen the dangers of mental health firsthand, and what can happen if the situation gets out of control. It’s scary and what’s worse is it’s easily preventable. I think our generation is making massive steps in the right direction but we need to continue doing everything we can to normalize talking about mental health issues and how to treat them.

 

Alumni Writings by Peter Murr

Alumni Writings by Peter Murr

Article 11: Lost and Alone

It is something commonly said that “humans are social animals.” And the proof is more than ample. From our beginnings as tribes of hunter-gatherers who depended on each other to survive, the hustling and bustling hives of gathered humanity that are the cities of today. Even the very existence and near-omnipresence of the aptly named social media.

Thus, it is probably no great surprise that, to such a social animal, one of the most unpleasant and miserable fates, is that of being alone. So why is it that this same social media, that helps bring people together from the four corners of the world, is causing people to feel more alone than ever?

To be clear, this is not to say that if people choose to be alone, and is legitimately content with it, that they are in any way broken, deficient or insane. All norms have exceptions after all, and more to the point, trying to then force these outliers to be more social just because you thinks that’s how it should be is surely the worst possible course of action of all.

But if this loneliness is the result of involuntary isolation, unnatural circumstances, or simply not being the kind of person who knows how to easily make friends, then it can be crushing.

There are many components towards how this sensation occurs. There is naturally the psychological aspect, where lack of significant and meaningful interaction with others can drive people to depression and madness.

It can even be said that we are built to be social creatures, as the sensation of another person’s skin against one’s own, results in the release of a very specific hormone called oxytocin, a feel good hormone. Thus genuine, physical human contact is an inimitable and wholly worthwhile thing that, while not necessarily vital, the absence of which can cause a very real and very stinging feeling of lacking and unhappiness compared to other people.

And therein lies one of the major contributing factors to social media’s paradoxically anti-social effects.

Another is how it creates this sort of disconnect between the very people that it is meant to bring together. Yes, it allows for the contact between people who may very well be separated by distance, environment or even time zones. A wife in New York can stay fully in touch with her husband on a business trip in Paris, even partake in the sights alongside him via Facetime and Instagram. In this day and age, someone who lives in Switzerland can make friends with people who live in New-Zealand.

But it’s all done through texts, photographs, videos; all through an interface. And while in the case of people who already know each other simply trying to keep in touch can be seen as a merely a more practical evolution of a phone call or email, but for others, it is a phenomenon that is slowly drawing in more and more people into itself, and away from traditional human contact. This may sound like the typical argument of your usual old has-been with a chip on their shoulder against modern technology. But it is a valid observation.

The ease and convenience afforded by this revolution in communication has resulted in newer generations nigh on divorced from the idea of actual human interaction, or at least growing farther and farther away from it. Talking face-to-face becomes something that is awkward and difficult, compared to the simplicity and impartiality of hiding behind a screen. Which creates its own problems such as the loss of tone, inflection, not being able to read body language, etc.

There are even signs that lack of proper facial interaction with another human being, particularly in children as they learn to speak talk and such, causes an actual decrease in one’s ability to emote. Further hampering the ability for proper inter-personal communication.

The proof comes to light when, even when it ceases to be a question of either necessity or convenience, social media continues to the preferred over actual social interaction. You can have neighbors who live right next door to each other and yet still prefer to simply send a text or have a voice call. You can have an entire family at a table, whether in a restaurant or at home, who rather than even just looking up and speaking to each other, are instead texting.

And this is to say nothing of those who find themselves completely outside the circle of social media. It is becoming increasingly the sad norm that, if you are not either on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or one of the many other apps whose sole purpose is to allow you to project yourself to as wide as broad a network as possible…then you are essentially invisible nobody in the eyes of broader society.

For the introverted, or even just those who do not have either the time or the wherewithal to establish and maintain such a large number of accounts, profiles and whatnot, which can very quickly show itself to be genuinely exhausting for some, it can make state of things incredibly distressing.

All of this is not to say that social media is all bad. As mentioned before, it allows for the bridging of the gap between people that before, would have been incredibly limiting. And more to the point, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It is merely the hope that going forward, future generations will treat social media as the tool that it is, and not some vital necessity the point where it replaces simply talking to your fellow man. That they remember to go out once in a while. Get together with their friends in person. Talk, cry, laugh face to face, hug them close in their own arms. Remember that before they were used to type texts and click apps, fingers were used to shake hands.

30.

Shiny stars of the earth.

The Earth, our home and ancestral mother, is filled to the brim with treasures and wonders of all kinds, shapes and sizes.

Some particularly polished examples, are the myriad precious and semi-precious stones that dot and fill our planet’s crust and veins. In this gallery, we’re shining a spotlight on a few of these sterling stones!

Here is one of the premier examples of the earth’s beauteous bounty, Tiger’s Eye. The light casting its hues in streaks ranging from sandy to golden, this stone empowers the owner with the fierceness of its namesake animal, strengthens their will, and serves as a protection charm. It is also said to be a good luck stone.

Tiger’s Eye can in fact be found in various different color pallets, including pink, green, black, and blue, which is also called Hawk Eye.

Tiger’s Eye.

 

Amethyst

 

As one of the most well-known and appreciated members of the quartz family, the purple stone amethyst appears in shades that go from light as lavender to dark as mauve.

As a quartz, it often forms into crystals like the ones seen here, that build up from a rocky bed. Cracking open an amethyst chunk can reveal what resembles a mouth filled with pointy, shiny purple teeth.

Amethyst

As one of the most well-known and appreciated members of the quartz family, the purple stone amethyst appears in shades that go from light as lavender to dark as mauve.

As a quartz, it often forms into crystals like the ones seen here, that build up from a rocky bed. Cracking open an amethyst chunk can reveal what resembles a mouth filled with pointy, shiny purple teeth.

Malachite

Malachite is the third most popular green stone there is, after emerald and jade, even though people often mistake it for some kind of jade. But to help clarify: malachite has patterns and striations not often found in jade or emerald, is much darker, and is not translucent.

Here we see a malachite egg rested in a nest. It may not be a golden goose-egg, but any bird capable of laying such treasures is sure to be a fine catch.

Red Agate

Agate is another stone that occurs in numerous different colors. Here we see a slice of red agate in the shape of the flaming eye of Sauron. Perhaps best not put on any rings…

Other colors and kinds of agate include blue, white, black, green, crazy lace, moss and purple.

Labradorite

No it has nothing to do with dogs, though if you want to have a piece of this iridescent stone hanging from your dog’s collar, it’d probably look quite fetching, just as it would serving as your keychain. Labradorite provides a little bit of extra pep in your step, and a reminder that, with just a bit of light, even the darkest things can be made brighter.

30.

3rd Story by Martina Castiglioni

3rd Story by Martina Castiglioni

What’s the real value of education? does it provide us with decent jobs and a sufficient level of knowledge to find a place in today’s society? Or, does it give us something more?

Education should give us the tools to determine our own future. Yet, in some countries, you’re not even able to dream for a future which is different from your current reality.

Ali’s reality wasn’t easy at all.

He comes from Iran and he’s very young. He didn’t receive any education because his father forbade him to go to school. Instead, he was mandated to work in the family business since he was very little.

At home, Ali’s family has three looms they use to make clothes with; he would work 10 hours a day, every day, just to bring home what’s necessary to pay the rent. Sometimes, that meant not enough for eating.

Every finished piece is sold to wholesalers for the equivalent of 1.50 francs – nothing. Even if he made dozens per day, and the cost of life in his country is extremely low, the profit wasn’t enough for him to be able to enjoy that sense of “carefreeness” that every child should deserve. When children in other parts of the world were playing “hide and seek” in their backyards, he was already loaded with the responsibilities of an adult. This inevitably made him grow faster than his peers.

Ali, now looks at the future with a positive and optimistic eye. “I’d like to go back to making projects”, he says with a huge smile, “in Iran you can’t make projects…but here you can”. When your family is poor and your life was all about working on a loom without a break, it’s hard to imagine a different future. This is your reality, the only one you know in Iran.

This makes me reflect about the disparity with wealthier countries, where we’re surrounded by thousands of different life options and our decision-making is supported by education. Education broadens horizons, and should fill the gap between dreams, or “projects”, and their realization.

However, there are two undeniable facts; that dreams come after survival, and, that education can’t feed you, but work can.

For Ali’s part, now he can finally dream. He’s enthusiastic about his new life and he’s determined to stay here in Geneva. He only hopes the authorities will grant him the refugee permit that he’s still waiting for. What he likes most about Geneva is the mix of cultures and ethnicities which seems welcoming. In Iran it’s totally different; he explains that refugees are treated cruelly and sometimes even killed. The same fate often hits those who try to leave the country, which is something the government opposes.

For this reason, he risked his life on the Turkish frontier. He was lucky.

He arrived in Switzerland after walking 55km not without difficulties and, yes, now he can say that he’s happy.

Our conversation stops here…but my mind keeps travelling…I hope he’ll achieve his dreams.

Martina

2nd Story by Martina Castiglioni

2nd Story by Martina Castiglioni

Ahmed is Palestinian, from Gaza. In his country he worked with young people and children with disabilities. Social work is that kind of job that only people with a sincere calling can do. Dedicating time and effort to improving the lives of disadvantaged people requires having a huge heart.

Ahmed’s heart carries the permanent marks of a bullet which almost killed him. He shows me several scars all over his chest and arms, but in his voice there isn’t even the slightest sign of resentment. His altruism will never be pierced by hate.

He was still in school when a group of armed men entered his classroom and started shooting at kids with an inexplicable cruelty. They surely harmed or even killed some of his classmates, he doesn’t tell me, and they kneecapped the teacher who was trying to protect them. He never found out who these people were—probably Palestinians like him. This surprises me because the media usually lead us to think that the only enemies of Palestinians are Israelis but, in fact, there are numerous armed groups within the same country which contribute to a chaotic, unsafe and unstable environment. How can a country defend itself in the international arena if people are fragmented and can’t even trust each other? Ahmed also tells me that he has many good friends in Israel and that they will come to visit him now that he’s in Geneva.

Human relations go beyond borders and wars; in some cases, what separates us can be the reason for stronger links.

In 2007, when life was particularly harsh in Gaza, the only “safe” places were schools and hospitals. Entire families were seeking some refuge in various buildings and Ahmed was running from place to place bringing essentials and comfort without a break; it was something only local people could do because the situation had become too dangerous for foreign NGOs to stay. It was a hard time for volunteers like him, however, he did not even think for a second about giving up because he strongly believed in the higher value of his commitment. Helping people is something natural for him, as well as his everyday job; it is a moral duty towards his people, a way of giving back to his community.

He misses his job. He misses the kids with their smiley faces painted with flowers and butterflies. He doesn’t know when he’ll get to see them again. However, he’s optimistic and he feels lucky for being in a safe place. Another reason why he’s happy, he says, is because he now lives in an apartment from which he can see outside; now, the sun comes in through the windows and fills his room with natural light. It sounds like a simple thing—something to be taken for granted—but it is not. Before, he was staying in an underground bunker designed to give a first shelter to the immigrants that arrive in Geneva. The same room can host tens of persons, living one next to the other without any privacy, in an indecent situation. They can live there for months, even up to a year, until they find another accommodation, or they can be transferred if their heath conditions require it. It is not hard to imagine that dormitories, where there is no circulation of fresh air, cause the occupants’ health to deteriorate and increase the probability of diseases to spread. There could be found plenty of arguments against the use of bomb shelters as accommodations for asylum seekers, however others might claim that at least they provide some shelter as an alternative to sleeping in the streets. Although there have been numerous complaints by immigrants about the current facilities, and the canton has proposed the construction of designated structures, local people have opposed it.

How can we then find a compromise that would satisfy everyone’s needs? Are bunkers acceptable as temporary solutions? Or should the canton be responsible for providing proper accommodations despite the local opposition? Are there any other unexplored options? Could voluntary single actions be one? It has already been successful in some cases that individuals with spare rooms have welcomed refugees? And finally, should local authorities follow the example of altruistic individuals like Ahmed by relying on more grass roots efforts to help refugees?

 

I look forward to reading your responses.

Martina