Dealing with unexpected circumstances and social isolation due to COVID restrictions can be difficult. This blog from Student Ambassador Cheitali Aher offers some useful advice on how to learn to enjoy your own company, and find the good in all situations!

It is well said “Always shoot up high for the moon and if at all you miss at least you will be among the stars”.

My name is Cheitali Aher from Maharashtra, India and I’m studying Master of Project Management at UL.

Certainly, UL Ireland helped to fulfil my dream studying abroad. I still remember the day I got my Visa for Ireland in the month of August 2020 during the most uncertain time of the year and I was over the moon and flood of thoughts waved in my mind about my student life in UL. I am short with adjectives to describe that feeling and I finally landed at Dublin airport. UL people had made all the relevant arrangements for all the students to reach their accommodation safely. I came to my apartment in Cappavilla village, one of the most beautiful accommodations of on campus accommodation in UL. With all the given instructions have completed my quarantine period and have finally started with our 1st Semester which was online completely due to the COVID-19. With the days passing on, felt like though I am living my dream to study in a foreign country but studying online felt like somebody has snatched the soul of your dream from me, as if you are holding a beautiful rose in your hand but no smell with which to mesmerise you.

During COVID-19, certainly this is a year full of challenges right from relocating yourself thousands of miles away from your home back in India to Ireland to fulfil your dream to pursue a master’s degree in project management at UL and simultaneously adapting to the new culture, conditions and education system, studying online completely, level 5 lockdown, and a lot more.”

In due course of time its natural to feel homesick and nostalgic, lonely, and it’s only you and your laptop and nothing else. At one point of time honestly, I felt that I am crushed and all my dreams too as this lockdown drove me crazy as in this constant dynamic world, we all are mentally dependent on other people whom we call friends to spend time with but then I accepted the situation and decided to face it with all my courage and will power. I decided to explore myself and spend time with myself. I dedicated some time to myself apart from my studies. I went around the campus which is amazing and when ever I see the iron man statue, I recall it to myself that “Be bold in what you stand for”. Stay strong, be unbreakable and be unbeatable.

I started enjoying my own company in some time and got better results when I started meditating and more importantly, I have practiced “gratitude” which really worked for me. I felt its important to practice that on a daily basis because what we have may be or is a dream to someone in this world so be thankful for everything we have. Results of which paid me off when I got my results, scored A1 in my first semester. So, this is my story how I overcame challenges for which I was not prepared, how I started enjoying my own company and was able to regain as whole and a strong person.

As mentioned in Bhagwat Geeta, “Temporariness is the only permanent thing in this Universe” so this difficult time which is temporary too shall pass. Until then, keep your spirit high and stay motivated.