QUA-ROUTINE: THE COCIAN EDITION

Words: Ma. Lonila Agaton

Everything changed since the beginning of quarantine in March. The pre-pandemic life where students’ routine includes getting up in the morning with the thought of what to wear to school, where to eat and hang out with friends, organization meetings to look forward to and the spontaneous trips on the way home – all switched to virtual and non-contact activities. 

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Inconvenient and uninspiring as it is, safety measures are prioritized for the welfare of all. It was an unexpected turn of events for everyone. To have stopped doing a routine on a sudden notice, many had a hard time shifting.

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For instance, a normal day at the College of Communication involves the chant of the cheering squad practicing their stunts at the car park, active voices of students chatting in the hallway, loud music from dancers practicing at the lobby, and the interactive classes taking place at the second floor. It was always a lively scene until the pandemic happened. 

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Being stuck in the house for 24/7, students are pinned to their corners, using every resource available to be productive. COCians, who are known to be very active in the university, are one of the many who were distressed by the shifted situation.

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Let’s see how COCians spent their time doing their own qua-routine:

ONLINE GAMES

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John Carlo Zabala, BAPR (Bachelor in Advertising and Public Relations) student, shared how Pokemon Go has become his daily exercise since the quarantine started. He said that the game enhanced his social skill because it requires to walk around to play and by that, he meets other players in his neighborhood as he roams every morning to walk for exercise. Shifting from mobile games, Korean variety shows to household chores sum up his day.

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Another COCian, Micaella Magday of the BACR (Bachelor of Arts in Communication Research) department, discovered new hobbies last June to lessen her anxiety caused by drastic changes brought by COVID-19. She read research on how watching and playing video games eases anxiety attacks and decided to give it a try.

She said that it really helped her reduce anxiety attacks and mental breakdowns because instead of overthinking she was more focused on looking forward to what to do or what games to explore for tomorrow. 

FOOD AND HEALTH

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From the BABR (Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting) department, Arnel Tacson shared how he spent his free hours doing activities he couldn't do before due to a hectic schedule. Top of his list was prioritizing his health by exercising and having enough sleep. As part of his daily routine, he works out by doing usual exercises such as push-up, curl-up, and sit-up to be active.  He also improved his craft by watching tutorials and attending online workshops. 

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On the other hand, Elaira Lasap from the Department of Journalism chose to incline on food experiences.

As the quarantine extended for months, she used it as an opportunity to try new recipes she finds on social media. She tried making puto cheese, leche flan, and banana cake with the help of her family. Adjusting the recipes with her own twists made it commercial and low-cost since she also decided to do business during quarantine.  Her daily routine also includes tita duties since she’s with her family in the province.

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BEYOND UNDERSTANDING ONESELF

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Since the pandemic took longer than we all expected, we had a lot of free time that we don’t usually have. We learned new things and did activities that we weren’t able to do because of lack of spare time. Our fellow COCIANs shared some of their realizations from the drastic change everyone experienced. 

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“I was able to focus much more on myself. Dati kasi acads almost consumed my life. I have never been this carefree nung pre-pandemic. The challenge of self-care molded me to what I have become now and it made me realize that I could be better without pressuring myself,” John Carlo said emphasizing the importance of self-care.

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Micaella talked about being open to opportunities, knowing and valuing what she really wants rather than settling for standards. 

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“Lesson na natutunan ko [is] maging open tayo sa lahat ng opportunity, tsaka matuto tayong pagbigyan ‘yung sarili natin. Kasi ayun ‘yung naging kulang ko dati noong face-to-face pa. Masyado ‘kong pini-pressure ‘yung sarili ko na hindi ko na inalam ‘yung mas gusto ko pa,” she said. 

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Arnel, as he discovered more about himself, said, “Isa sa mga pinaka-natutunan ko is meron ka pa palang magagawa na akala mo dati hindi mo kayang gawin… Noong nag-quarantine, ang dami kong natutunan at nagagawa na paunti-unti. Kumbaga, na-nurture, mas na-enhance ko.”

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Last but not least, Elaira shared about relationship maintenance and how she knew herself better. 

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“Personally, na-realize ko na I'm not really the type of person ng pakikihalubilo sa crowd or mahilig makipag-interact. Na-realize ko rin na we don't need to talk to our friends and/or loved ones (very) often to maintain the (our) relationship.”

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Maybe the world seemed to stop for some but for others, it felt smaller because of the limited things to do.

It’s hard to see the brighter side of this quarantine but take this as an experience on getting to know ourselves on a deeper level. How about you? What’s your qua-routine?

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