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Haider Khokhar shares his lock-down experience
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On the evening of March 18th, I was sitting at home watching the reaction on Twitter to the Downing Street press conference. Little did I know that our Prime Minister Boris Johnson would announce that schools would be shut as part of the governments measures to combat Covid 19 and that GCSE exams would be cancelled.
I initially felt a sense of relief at not having to take my GCSEs. But, at the same time, I knew that not being able to go to school would be detrimental, because I would miss my support teachers who have supported me the most in my final year of school. I knew I would also miss my routine.
The last two day of secondary school were quite stressful. Being put in a position to have my education moved from being in person to an online virtual platform was upsetting. I found the last day of school extremely hard, because I had to say goodbye to my support teachers for the last and final time.
More surprises were to come. On the evening on March 23rd, Boris Johnson announced that the UK was going into lockdown.
Lock-down
The main skill I have learned in coping with lock-down is resilience. Initially, I felt overwhelmed at loosing my daily routine. Luckily, I reached out to my Twitter friends, such as Siena Castellon, who helped me to adapt and cope with the situation.
My Advice on How to Deal with Lock-down
Below are some of the steps I took to adapt to a life in lock-down:
- Establish a Set Routine – In the first few days of lock-down I did not have a routine, but as the weeks went by I established a routine. For example, I set my alarm clock for 7:00 am every day like I would have if I was going to school. I advice that you stick to a routine, especially when it comes to when you go to bed and when you wake up.
- Avoid the News – Since some of the news was depressing, I recommend that you limit the amount of news you read and watch. You can stay informed by asking your parents or other adults about any recent developments.
- Avoid Social Media – Â I usually enjoy using Twitter. However, during lock-down I found that it was getting toxic and it was causing me anxiety. In order to safeguard my mental health, I decided to take a break from Twitter. My advice is to step away from social media if you find that it is harming instead of helping you.
- Keep in Touch with Family and Friends – Although social distancing and lock-down meant that I could not see my family and friends, I manage to keep in touch via direct messaging. Luckily, there are so many platforms like ZOOM, WhatsApp and Facetime that make it easy for us to stay in contact.
- Keep a Journal – During lock-down, I became a bullet journaling addict. I am not ashamed to say that I love bullet journaling. I find it fun and relaxing, plus it has the added benefit of keeping my organised and gives me a place to express myself.
- Finally, Keep Yourself Occupied – The best way to make time fly by is to keep yourself occupied. I kept myself busy by reading. I am currently reading the Harry Potter series and highly recommend the books. I also got an X-Box for my birthday, which was the perfect gift to keep me entertained during lock-down.
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Looking Into the Future
I believe that the world will completely change due to Covid 19. For one thing, I am trying to decide whether I should go to sixth form or whether I should do an apprenticeship. Whatever happens, I want you to know to tell you that you are not alone. We are all in this together.
About Me
My Name Is Haider. I just turned 16. I am autistic. I believe that the world should be a better place for autistic people like me. I can be found on Twitter at @Racenclaw_H where I Tweet in support of neurodiversity and inclusion for all. I am also an avid reader who is currently reading the Harry Potter series.Â
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