My name is Jose Leo Carmona Ignalaga, but my friends call me Kyle. Currently, I am a second semester junior, and I am a computer information technology major as well as a digital media minor.

Prior to the quarantine, I recall having a routine that kept me active, healthy and quite punctual, in the sense where I always did my assignments on time and in the best and most diligent way possible. Transitioning to online classes, though, has been a bit of a struggle because I much prefer studying in a classroom and having physical interaction with students and professors. Nowadays, I find myself checking my computer for the latest assignment announcement. Lectures have been narrowed to a video playing (as my classes for the most part do not use Zoom), and deadlines have been pushed further and further into the semester.

It is safe to say that we have been granted the freedom we had all hoped for, but at the cost of having to be socially distant with one another. With this quarantine, the amount of times I have come in contact with my friends (physically) has drastically reduced. Though, we still keep in contact through the means of Skype, Snapchat and Facetime, being in the presence of people has become much of a rarity during this epidemic. Additionally, I am able to keep in contact with my family, to make sure they are doing alright. Fortunately, they are all healthy. Transitioning to this type of lifestyle has been quite an experience, and it has taken a toll on my productivity levels. I was quite productive with every activity I had going on before: the EIU Gym, Couture Modelling and the EIU Comic-Con, to name a few. Now that everything has been canceled for the scholastic year, I find difficulty filling up the void left with other means that provide a similar level of productivity.

With that said, I’ve been able to get creative and take part in reasonably “productive” activities, albeit a little bit unorthodox. During this quarantine, I’ve found myself cooking at home more, taking part in home workouts (with the help of the NIKE Training App, that just turned premium, amidst the coronavirus), and playing with a soccer ball by myself. In addition to these activities, I’ve discovered passions for new things, such as photography, fashion or just art in general. Things such as this have influenced me to explore my creative side and use it wisely.

My only advice to all of you, regardless of whether or not you are in quarantine, is to use the time wisely, in a way where you discover yourself or your passion for new ventures. Expanding your knowledge and helping yourself grow for the better is always the best thing to do. If you spend your time improving something about yourself, it is not wasted time.