(Photo courtesy of Nina Roehl)
Before COVID-19, I was enjoying being a college student. I was living on campus with my friends and having fun. Now, I’m back at my childhood home and adjusting has been difficult.
At first, living with parents felt like a setback. I went through restless nights. I felt unmotivated, lonely and bored. I was irritable, anxious, and my self-esteem plummeted. It was a dark time.
I knew things had to change, so I turned to self-care. I started reading again for enjoyment, I cut back on social media, and I started meditating daily.
My boyfriend asked me multiple times how he could help. While I really appreciated his concern for me, I didn’t have an answer for him. I didn’t know how to put what I was feeling into words.
I’m not over this hump, but I’m grateful that I have taken the time to learn more about myself and my triggers. While this healing process has been slow, I have more good days than bad, and I’m so much stronger now.