GRAPHIC DESIGN Cindy Phung
Now that we are well into the school year, most of us have adjusted our routines to accommodate the online semester. For some of us this means waking up earlier and changing out of our pyjamas, while for others it’s a matter of staying awake during class and making sure the Zoom camera and microphone stay off. I interviewed three StyleCircle team members to chat about their online school routine, must-haves, workspaces, de-stressors and advice.
JACQUELINE BORG / GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Three things you couldn’t live without while learning in a pandemic:
J: My friends, iced coffee, Sex and the City
J: My day starts at about 8:00 or 9:00 [a.m.] but sometimes if my class is later, I’ll let myself sleep in until 10:00 [a.m.]. I water my plants and I’ll do a little skin care routine. I personally love Peter Thomas Roth’s ‘Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream’. I can be found in loungewear or some sort of PJ combination. Before class, I put sunscreen on—people reading this: please wear your sunscreen! I’ll watch a show or Youtube, eat some breakfast, which usually consists of eggs with kale and a coffee.
Now I’m ready for school, so I head to my workspace, which is just a desk in my room. Normally I’ll turn my camera and mic off. I try to take breaks sometimes, because if I sit at my desk for too long I go stir-crazy. I’ll play with my kitten Niko, or walk to Starbucks and call a friend. I use my agenda to plan my day and there’s not really a set [length of] time that I work for, I just work until I’ve completed everything or almost everything on my list of things to do. I feel like I should mention that all of this is what happens on a good day, this is what I strive to do—it’s not always what happens.
ISABELLA PAPAGIANNIS / ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Three things you couldn’t live without while learning in a pandemic:
B: Pets, airpods, CBD oil
B: Apple users know the awful sound of the radar ringtone in the clock app. Normally that gets me out of bed at around 9:00 [a.m.]-ish. I’ll scroll through my phone for a bit and then I’ll get up and make my morning coffee. I’ll either watch a show or listen to something while I make my breakfast. When that’s done, I head outside. I’ll bring my yoga mat and do some stretches, not yoga but still good for my body. When my little stretch is done, I’ll come back to my room and join the Zoom class.
My designated workspace is my desk. Recently I gave my room a bit of a redesign. I feel like it’s really important to fill your workspace with things that you like. I got some new art for my walls, a new seat by the window, a cute lamp, and a bunch of plants;it just makes the space better to work in. After class, I’ll go outside for a smoke and take a walk, then head [back] inside to start my work. When I can’t work anymore, I’ll call it a day and watch TV or get some sleep. Lately I’ve been super into Ratched, Schitt’s Creek, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and, of course, Lord of the Rings. My advice to anyone reading this would be: don’t feel pressured to have your life together; we all have bad days, don’t beat yourself up. Some days are better than others, so give yourself time.
VIOLET YIN / SPONSOR & PR COORDINATOR
Three things you couldn’t live without while learning in a pandemic:
V: Music, good wifi, tarot cards
V: I like to be awake by 9:00 or 9:30 [a.m.] Other times, I’ll just set an alarm an hour before my class begins. In that hour, I’ll take about ten minutes to get ready and throw on half-“real clothes” [and] half-loungewear or pyjamas. In the mornings, I eat oatmeal porridge or a piece of toast with peanut butter and I’ll watch an episode of New Girl or Friends on Netflix. Then, it’s time for class.
I like to work at my desk and I like everything to be tidy and organized. I’ll also use the calendar app and my notebook to stay on top of assignments and homework. It helps to split up the week into halves; usually I’ll use Wednesday to really get into my projects. If I need to take my mind off of school, I’ll cook something or listen to some music. Ideally, I get my work done [by] 7:00 [p.m.] so I still have some of my evening left. This has been my routine for a while and it’s comfortable for me. The hardest thing I had to adjust to was not being able to talk to friends and profs face-to-face. This learning environment is not permanent, so we just have to make the best of what we have and take care of ourselves.
