The COVID-19 quarantine has proven to be a boon for introverts. But what about the extroverts who’ve never known what it is like to be locked up in one’s own home for days and days to come? With exams being cancelled or postponed, we as students are uncertain about our future endeavours. However, this is not the time to give up hope. We must value this extra time and utilize it to learn new skills and increase our knowledge. It is important to build your personality and profile in order to emerge as a better version of yourself once this quarantine is over.
Reading Novels
Reading fiction or non-fiction novels allow you to explore beyond your imagination. They provide you various perspectives. Reading also requires concentration and you can build your focus as you read. Some marvellous fiction books include the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and the Dan Brown series for beginners. If you are an avid reader then you can try The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh. For non-fiction, you can commence your journey by reading books like Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari and The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking.
Research Work
You may choose a subject of your choice and attempt at compiling a research paper or a study report for a sub-topic within that subject. Begin by reading research papers in the same domain. There are various authentic studies available on Google Scholar. Highlight keywords and prepare summaries from these papers. Then set the premise for your own research paper. You may ask your professors for help and guidance. It will allow you to improve your knowledge and published research papers will prove to build your profile or personality.
Exploring a Hobby
Are you interested in painting, photography, singing, or any other leisure activity? Then this is the time for you to share it with the world. You can build your own YouTube channel or Instagram page. Explore the scope of your work; ensure that what you want to share is unique and unmatched. You will be able to enhance your own skill and someone else’s as well at the same time. You can add this to your portfolio once you gain enough followers and are able to build a healthy community based on the work that you upload.
Freelance work
Working for someone else for a fixed fee could prove to be beneficial in various ways. Freelancing allows you to interact with multiple clients, each with their own demands and needs. You can build your communication skills. The work is not monotonous as each project comes with its own challenges and requirements. The freelance work is also counted as work experience and hence, once your work is complete, you can add it to your resume. You need to keep learning and increasing your knowledge base in order to build your profile and personality
Courses and Certifications
Learning should never stop. The COVID-19 lockdown shouldn’t be the cause of hindrance in your path of learning new skills. There are websites such as Coursera, Udemy, Internshala, InternTheory, which have made certified courses free or are offering steep discounts to help students pursue their dream courses. These courses will prove to be useful in the long run. The admissions office will be able to identify your area of interests.
Build a Start-up
Entrepreneurial projects are in great demand. New ideas are required to improve the global communication network and to make everything available digitally. This is your chance to prove your worth. Work on a start-up idea of your own. When an interview panel sees a “startup co-founder” on your resume, it automatically creates a positive image in their minds. Starting a business is not easy and even if you have the capability of formulating a plan, it will appear as a great achievement.
Studying Ahead
You should consider this lockdown period as your bonus time. You have the chance to remain ahead of schedule and prepare for future exams and semesters beforehand. In order to achieve this, you need to be regular and attentive. The key to success would be not missing out on any important video lectures or classes that your institute is conducting. Self-study is also an excellent way to remain updated about your study work. Your grades will improve and this can be a highlight in your CV!
The entire world is in the same situation as you are and if you are able to make the most out of this lockdown period then you can achieve great things in life. If you are able to commit to any of the above activities then it will depict how disciplined and focused you are. Soon you will realize the need to keep learning and increasing your knowledge base in order to build your profile and personality. Start on a smaller scale and experience how it impacts you in the future. My advice is to always look at the bigger picture. Stay safe, stay healthy and most importantly, stay motivated!
