I am an undergraduate student. Since college was shut last year, I have been at home. Although I have a few friends, we only exchange texts and don’t call each other. My semester classes ended a few days ago. With nothing much to do, I feel very empty and tired the entire day, unable to be productive at all. Maybe this feeling of emptiness is due to the havoc caused by Covid around the country. My family keeps on worrying about my father losing his job. Last year, I used to read a lot to cope with this emptiness but now, I don’t know what to do anymore. Please help ~ Anonymous

02 Jun, 2021 | 14:16

Feelings like what you are experiencing can be a normative response to a pandemic. You could suggest speaking on phone to your friends once in a while and see who all make it to the call. It’s a tough time for everyone, whether infected or not; and each person is coping in their own way. Considering there is so much uncertainty about even the immediate future, worrying beforehand doesn’t help. Consider spending time with family, talking this through and understanding alternatives if the job loss situation arises. Don’t forget to make the most of and be grateful for the present moment. In such situations, taking one day at a time helps.