For a quarantine period that was only supposed to last two weeks, this pandemic has taken over our lives in ways we didn’t expect.

   This year-long event has caused the rapid deterioration of Generation Z’s mental health. If navigating the highs and lows of high school was not already difficult, doing it entirely online has magnified those problems. While we continue to attend classes, we have lost our social lives, and with that, a majority of our serotonin.

   Between virtual learning and the pre-existing seasonal depression, it can be easy to lose motivation in this pandemic. 

   If you find yourself slowly losing the will to do homework, pay attention in classes, or even get out of bed in the morning, it’s important to take steps to improve your mental health. The most important first step is to identify the problem. Are you overwhelmed with overdue assignments? Have you been failing tests again and again? 

   If your issue is homework-related, there are a couple steps you can take to fix the problem. First, begin by emailing all of your teachers. Set new deadlines for yourself to make up the missed work, and propose these to your teachers. Although it may not seem so, they are struggling with the pandemic as well, and will likely be a little understanding.

   Once you have told your teachers that you’re making an attempt to do better, set a schedule for yourself. Create a list of your missing assignments and complete them, one by one. Start with the most important projects, and set deadlines for yourself to finish them.

   By sticking to a schedule, your workload will slowly begin to decrease and become more manageable. Continue with this program until you are caught up on your assignments. It may take time, but the important thing to keep in mind is that it is achievable. No matter how far behind you have fallen, it is possible to catch up. 

   While you work on completing overdue assignments, make sure you continue to attend classes and pay attention. Social media is addicting by design, but it is important to put your phone away and focus.

   If you can, try to change the location of where you attend online school. By attending virtual classes in your bedroom, the line between “school” and “home” can become blurred, and it is easy to begin to mix the two. Set boundaries in your space, and this will help you focus more on classes. 

   Lastly, devote some time to your mental health. With so much difficult work, moments where you truly devote time to yourself can be few and far between. At least every other day, designate a set amount of time to spend doing things you enjoy.

   While Tik Tok and Instagram can come to mind for this, they are typically means of procrastination, rather than active breaks. Spend socially-distanced time with friends, or take some time to explore your Minecraft world. Although these day-to-day activities may seem counterproductive, they can rapidly increase motivation and improve overall mental health. 

   Most importantly, it is necessary to keep in mind the fact that we are all struggling together right now. This pandemic has not been easy on anyone, especially students. Set goals, but be gentle with yourself.

   It is easy to lose motivation in today’s environment, so be forgiving if you do. It can be easy to slip into a negative mindset, so it is crucial to focus on the positives in today’s world, though they are few and far between.