REO TAUIRA

Last week Aunty Jacinda called it and now it is our new reality for the foreseeable future. Lockdown. But life goes on! UOW students have now come off the one-week semi breather known as teaching suspension and classes and assignments have ramped up again albeit all in an online format. Despite what other institutions may be doing, the decision has been made by the higher-ups that the show must go on!

Funnily enough, we’re actually used to somewhat studying in isolation you know… When the going gets tough we retreat to our rooms, skip class, spend our time catching up on course content and panopto like it’s Netflix (or is that just me?). But actual NZ wide lockdown puts a whole different spin on it.

We are now ACTUALLY supposed to be working from home. Few days down deep into iso and it’s not all that it’s cracked out to be. So studying from home during iso – but how?!?!

Well, tikanga tips coming in hot for this one!

1. Set up a daily routine

Don’t laze around all day, especially with uni kicking in again. Definitely enjoy a little sleep in (cos you’ll regret it once we’re out of lockdown and back to ‘reality’), exercise, breakfast, study blocks and breaks, downtime etc. The days will go by quicker if you’re actually being productive. Don’t feel obliged to spend the weekend that way. Blob out, Netflix, do the tasks that you can’t seem to shake out of your mind, bake, spend quality time with your bubble, go outside, drink lol.

2. Differentiate your spaces

It can seem like the easiest option to do everything from the comfort of your bed like lazing around, studying, video calling, eating. If you can then it’s definitely recommended to differentiate your spaces around your house.

Wāhi oki = somewhere you can rest and focus just on that.

Wāhi mahi = somewhere associated with getting your mahi done. A place that you can leave your study resources and come back to later.

Wāhi kori tinana = somewhere you can take some time to focus on your mind and body. This space might be outside (within the regulations of course) small enough for you or big enough to get the whole whānau moving.

Wāhi kai = keep kai to the kitchen table or bench or wherever there is a table like surface besides your desk or wāhi mahi. It can be really easy to take a break from study and eat at your desk for convenience, but differentiating your spaces for this lockdown period will help combat the cabin fever that’ll surely come.

Wāhi auaha = a creative space that will give your brain a break. Maybe to paint, draw, write poems or songs, do puzzles, anything that’ll get the creative juices flowing!

3. Give your uni mahi a good crack!

How often do you blame not meeting deadlines and your grade for not having enough time to do your mahi? This is a paradoxically strange way to get the best out of uni. Yes we are in a National State of Emergency, but this is your chance to prove to yourself (and to your lecturers muahaha) that given the circumstances, left to your own devices magical things can happen!

As you are well aware we are all journeying through unprecedented times. Who knows how long our current situation could go on for. But DO NOT drop the ball on your studies. After this (not that life will ever be the same again) we’ve still got lives to live, degrees to chase and papers to make. So listen to the advice from our government, health professionals and Aunty Nix from CWK lol. See you on the other side.