When all routines get challenged
We are used to certain habits in our days. We never think much of them simply because we never expect anything to happen and change them. This is what this situation has done. It has led to a lot of confusion in our routines, but it also gave us time now to do the tasks we were keeping for “later”.
As a PhD student in a genetics lab, there were daily routines that I followed. Taking the bus every day to the campus, doing experiments that I planned days or weeks ahead, choosing between Rice-up or the mensa for lunch, having a beer after work with lab mates… One gets so comfortable and used to routines that you never doubt you will have to adjust.
When we received the email from the president concerning the closing of the ETH campus, and the fact that this might take some two and a half months, one realizes that the entire lifestyle before has to be adjusted. To add to this, the fact that the reason why we have to stay at home and adjust our lifestyles is a very serious virus that threatens all of us creates massive levels of anxiety and uncertainty.
For me, the first thing that I thought of in terms of effect on my research is that I will not be able to conduct any experiments for a long period of time, meaning I will be staying at home following the news, doing nothing until June. Working in an experimental lab means that “home office”, for long period of times, might not be productive at all. Secondly, I had teaching duties this semester. This means that I was supposed to be working with the students on experimental projects, which now have to change to virtual ones.
After a phase of complete “no idea what to do”, I started to try to find ways in order to cope with the new situation. The first thing that I found most important is to manage some sort of structure and scheduling for the day and for the week. Here comes the importance of working actively to maintain the research group as a functional unit. As a group, we decided to establish a daily routine of having a morning coffee on Zoom, as well as an afternoon one. We also kept our Friday lab meetings, also through Zoom, but adjusted a bit to having more journal club discussions and theoretical conceptual ones.
On a personal research plan, the idea would be to make the best out of the home office situation. This could be established by investing time in doing what generally never happens during weeks of experimental work. This includes spending time analyzing the data thoroughly and trying to build a big picture out of the results: What is known in the literature? What do those data really hint to? What could be the different pathways in which those proteins fall into? What are needed experiments to be done after the situation settles down?
When it comes to teaching this creates a particular challenge trying to change experimental projects to be done in block courses into a virtual experience. This takes some work in terms of thinking of the conceptual aspects and the actual learning outcomes of the specific practicum or block course. In my case, the aim would be to find a way to implement the literature behind the questions we ask in the block course into a practical part that could be done virtually such as analyzing microscopy images or proposing experiments to test certain hypotheses.
Concerning the emotional and mental state during this time, I think the most important aspect is to sustain contact with family and friends through phone and video calls. Trying to call some friends for a coffee in the morning, or have a beer chat in the evening over a call, or trying to have lunch the same time as your family is and sharing that through a video call with them, are all ways to help ease the stress over this situation and prevent overthinking, anxieties and feeling of loneliness. Learning a new language, painting, or starting a daily exercise program are all ways different people I know are trying to adopt in order to make this period get easier.