Help yourself during this pandemic by making plans for the future

As some of you know I am just one of many seniors at Chadron State College that will be graduating this year. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 taking over the globe, the spring commencement for CSC has been postponed.

I don’t know about any of you other seniors, but my heart sank. All the way to the floor. Possibly through the floor. I was so sad to see this ceremony that I have been so eagerly waiting for has been postponed with no date or any idea when it might be in sight. It will likely happen in the summer. If you are like me, you want to have that planned. I want to make sure my family has the date so they can attend a day that means more to me than probably my own birthday.

Disappointment has taken over everyone’s agenda in some way or another I’m sure. It seems to be a theme for 2020 so far. Especially March. March was tough.

With the way the world is, sometimes it feels like there really is nothing we can do and that there is no hope. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Dates are uncertain as to when we can go back to “normal.” You also might think it’s pointless to plan anything for the kind of near future. I’d like to change your mind about that.

I think it is essential during this time to have a hope and plan for the future – something to make you push yourself and to help you strive for those things. I would recommend making some plans that have vague or tentative dates for yourself. Plan something for the future.

There are a lot of small plans you can make that don’t require much money or time. Think about some friends that are always down to do something, even if it’s on short notice. Plan a little get away weekend with your friends. Maybe go camping or a trip to a winery for a fun day out. There are a lot of small things to do nearby to give yourself a day out that is something fun to look forward to.

When a graduation day is set, plan a graduation present for yourself (we all know you deserve it). Make a plan for a graduation party with family and friends. Plan a getaway weekend to somewhere fun where you can go out and try new things. These sound like very odd or simple things to do. But having plans that you can look forward to with friends is something that can push you forward instead of dreading all of the things going on now and being cancelled.

It’s hard to deal with the amount of disappointment that has been poured onto our plates. There have been so many things cancelled and taken off of our agenda. But you have the power to control how you spend your time in the post-virus world. You can allow yourself to get some plans in mind for when traveling is allowed and we’re able to do things again. It might be hard to think like that, but giving yourself the chance to look forward to stuff might help the time pass by.