The Sackville Self-Isolation Guide

Author: Lucy Poole
Posted on August 5, 2020

Happy August everyone! It’s now officially the month that many Mount A students will return to campus and to Sackville. I know I can’t wait to be reunited with friends that I haven’t seen since March, get back into a school routine, and enjoy my favourite month of the year, September! Of course, this year’s return to campus will be quite a bit different than what I’ve experienced the past two years. Since many students will be starting to arrive in Sackville to self-isolate over the next couple of weeks, I thought I would share some of the ways I got through my own isolation period after I moved back to Sackville in May!

1. Assembling furniture/organizing your space

Honestly, when I opened the instruction booklet for my new IKEA desk and saw that it had over 30 steps, I was kind of dreading it. But, as it was the only piece of furniture that I brought with me on that first trip, I had two options: I could attempt to build it or resign myself to the fact that my home office would have to be on the floor of my living room. Can you guess which option I chose?! 

Surprisingly, it ended up being a really good way to pass the time and was actually kind of fun. There was something about doing an entire project by myself from start to finish that was really satisfying and made me feel productive (and productivity is not an easy thing to come by during isolation!). 

If you’re in residence, you likely won’t have your own furniture to build but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend time personalizing your room! It was so important to me to make my residence room a space I felt comfortable and at home in, and it can take some time to accomplish that!

2. Read

I’ve always loved to read but it can be one of the first things I stop doing regularly when I start to get busy. During the first couple months of quarantine I probably read more books for fun than I had in the past two years combined. Anyone can find a book that they’ll enjoy, even if they aren’t a regular reader. Here are some favourites that I recommend to anyone: 

• Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles
• Becoming, by Michelle Obama
• Coming Home, by Rosamunde Pilcher (my absolute favourite and a really long book so it’s perfect for isolation!) 
• The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah

3. Try out a new hobby

If you’re able to bring some supplies with you, trying out a new hobby is a great way to pass the time during isolation. Whether it’s art, film, music, or something entirely different, trying new creative hobbies is fun even if you turn out to be really bad at them (I am the absolute worst at jigsaw puzzles and wish I could enjoy them like everyone else). During my isolation period I found a creative outlet through writing blog posts, like this one! It had been such a long time since I’d done any writing for fun and it was really refreshing to write without academic guidelines or stress about marks. PS: all MtA students (incoming students included!) can apply to be a blogger here until August 11 :)

4. Stay connected and don't be afraid to reach out for support!

One silver lining of the isolation period is that there are so many students going through the same experience as you at the exact same time. Even though you can’t meet up in person, it is still a great time to make connections with some of your housemates right from the beginning! Take advantage of your residence Facebook groups and social media pages to meet new people, have dinner over Zoom with your floor, or watch movies on Netflix Party.

Even though you will be in isolation, you should never have to feel alone. It is so normal to feel nervous, stressed, or anxious about moving away from home and being in an unfamiliar place, but it is so important to know that there are tons of people who really want to help you. Whether it’s alumni, staff, or students, you never have to feel bad about seeking out support. We’re here for you!!

Photo: The first thing I did after finishing isolation was meet up with a friend for a walk in the Waterfowl Park. It is so beautiful in the summer!