By: Julia Hartman, Equip Leader
On March 15th, 2020, South Carolina governor, Henry McMaster, announced that all schools will be closed for the last two weeks in March in efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus).
Most schools, including colleges, have made the decision to move classes online. If you’re a student during this time without the option of any extracurriculars, you may find yourself with more free time than you know what to do with! The quarantine is a GREAT opportunity to try new things and learn, too!
Check out this list of things you can do to boost your independent living skills and have fun during the COVID-19 outbreak:
- Sign up for Able South Carolina’s Online Opportunities!
Able SC has created more opportunities than ever for students to learn and receive peer support online. During these next two weeks, Able SC will be hosting online peer mentoring classes, so students with disabilities can safely interact with one another AND learn useful tips such as how to manage anxiety and how to “adult!”
**Registration for classes required and can be done here.
2. Watch Able South Carolina’s Consumer Trainings!
Did you know that there are recordings of Able SC’s consumer trainings? You can find them at the bottom of the resources page on able-sc.org.
3. Join Our Equip Hangouts!
The Coronavirus is not going to stop Equip! The hangouts are still twice a month – just online! You can find the link for the online hangouts here.
“Like” our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on our hangouts!
4. Check out a Podcast
You can find a lot of cool podcasts on websites apps, like Spotify and SoundCloud. You can search podcasts on specific subjects, like money management, or animals, to learn cool facts, skills, or hear stories about others’ experiences.
Able SC has their own podcast called The Access Aisle!
5. Watch YouTube Videos
If there’s ever a good time to watch YouTube videos, it’s now!
Check out a fan favorite channel called, “How to Adult”. It has step-by-step videos on how to do things like your laundry, how to act during a job interview, and how to plan meals for a week.
6. Exercise
Staying healthy during this outbreak is a must!
You can exercise at home by lifting weights, doing some yoga, stretching or power walking inside! There are some YouTube videos that you can follow along with for indoor exercising as you practice social distancing!
7. Read or Listen to Audiobooks
You can read, or listen to audiobooks, physical books, or ebooks.
If you have internet access you can download ebooks from your local library website with their Overdrive app and comic books, and movies from the Hoopla app, if your library has a digital collection.
8. Break Bad Habits
This is a good time to try and break bad habits!
You could try and do things like going to bed earlier, cooking more meals at home, or any skill that you want to work on improving for yourself! Just make sure that your goals are as detailed as possible so they are easier to reach!
9. Stay Informed
You can find information about COVID-19 from trusted sources such as local government press releases that outline state decisioning to tackle the virus as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).