OTM #9: Company

Hello again, hope everyone is well!

I’m currently starting out my second week of isolation at my family’s home, and I feel quite lonesome to say the least. It’s hard enough working through finals, as I’m sure you all know, but this added layer of contamination feels quite grim on top of that. It’s at least given me an opportunity to force myself to relax, but there is only so much of that I can take, since I’ve found I have a proclivity to desire work. Either way, I’m trying to make the best of my time in isolation, drawing as much as I can. I’ve been doing a lot of painting studies, which I usually wouldn’t have time to do. It does feel nice, once I can pull myself away from my anger and stress.

The other day, my dog pushed my door open to stare at me for a moment. It was a nice reminder of the existence of the outside world, the love that exists in nature and people. Her eyes made me smile; I had my own UMich “therapy dog” session for the day. I think taking that time to look outside, text a friend, look at old pictures, or anything like that while studying is a good way to keep us grounded in what matters. Let’s keep taking care of ourselves!