We have been in “lockdown” for 8 weeks now.  In our ongoing series on how members of the MACES community are coping, Dhabisha Kohilanathan, Project Administrator in Integrated Program in Neuroscience AND your next MACES VP Social, talks about her virtual book club and smoothie bowls.

 

Has the pandemic forced you to change your summer or fall plans? 

Dhabisha Kohilanathan: Definitely! My last international trip was to France in 2017, and I was ready to do another foreign trip this summer. However, with the current circumstances, traversing the ocean will have to wait (hopefully, not for too long!).

Do you have a memorable non-traditional meeting you would like to share?

Dhabisha Kohilanathan: With social distancing, I believe everyone is dealing with loneliness to varying degrees. I definitely am. To ease the ‘psychological distancing,’ I created a virtual book club with some of my friends who are fellow booklovers. We’ve been meeting every week or so via Zoom to not only discuss the book we’ve been collectively reading, but to also talk about life in general. For our next meeting, we’ll actually be participating with our breakfasts/brunches in hand. So, I guess I can say that I’m looking forward to having brunch with my friends next week!

Have you developed any habits that you will continue once life gets back to ‘normal’ ? 

Dhabisha Kohilanathan: Now that I’ve been spending more time at home, I realize that the common theme of the lifestyle changes I’ve implemented thus far is: slowing down. For instance, I started incorporating yoga into my workouts. I’ve been taking time to create home-cooked, hearty meals; this means that I’ve been stepping up my smoothie bowl game! Additionally, I’m spending memorable quality time with my parents, whether it be via walks, gardening, and cooking. I sincerely hope these remain constant once deconfinement takes place.

Here is a podcast, book, and Netflix series I have recently discovered: 

  • Podcast: Armchair Expert, by Dax Shepard (brief: Each episode features a well-known individual who gets deep and personal about their past and life in general)
  • Book: Educated, by Tara Westover (brief: A memoir about a girl who breaks free from her family’s norms and pursues her dreams and education)
  • Netflix: Money Heist/La Casa de Papel (brief: A series about a group of intelligent individuals trying to pull off heists in Europe)