On Saturday, March 24th, 2018, Purdue had a power outage that left some residential halls without power, and others just lost Internet and Wi-Fi access across campus. During this time, thousands of students were panicking as due dates were approaching and we were disconnected from the live-saving Blackboard program. While we all waited nearly 24-hours for this issue to be fixed, I created a list of things students can do if this were to happen again.
1. Express your frustrations about not having Internet.
It’s okay to grieve, but don’t let this get you down and determine how the rest of your day will be.
2. Sleep the day away.
You might be imagining the worst thing that could happen to your online social life. Hopefully seeing that there is no Internet access was just a nightmare. Get your beauty sleep- it might be fixed by the time you wake up from your lengthy nap.
3. Call your family.
Check up on your parents, siblings, and the rest of your relatives. They would love to hear from you, no matter the occasion.
4. Get to know people better.
You might think you know everyone based on what they post on their social media, but you only know what little people share with you. Take this time to talk face-to-face with those around you- get to know people on a better level.
5. Do some old-fashioned homework.
Hopefully, you have some homework that you have to write down your answers down on paper and turn-in. If you don’t, you can play tic-tac-toe, doodle, or create some origami- be creative.
6. Actually read your textbooks.
Now that your tech devices aren’t distracting you, you can devote time to your studies. It’s always a good idea to have an accessible hardback or paperback version of your textbook.
7. Clean your room.
Not being attached to your phone or computer can allow you to have more time to focus on tidying up and organizing your things.
8. Go for a walk.
Now that your eyes are not glued to a screen, you can explore the world around you. You can see the world for what it is and won’t be distracted from its beauty.
9. Watch television.
If you’re looking for a new show to binge watch, you can keep flipping the channels until you find the best one. Hundreds of channels have thousands of shows- the variety is endless.
10. Go shopping.
Walk around and look for something new. You have the opportunity to try on all of the articles of clothing you want! It's better than guessing what size to get and ordering something that might not fit.
11. Play with your makeup.
This is the perfect time to try to master that winged eyeliner look you’ve always wanted to wear or play around with different colored eyeshadows and lipsticks. Dare to be bold.
12. Get back into shape.
Try to stretch your muscles and give yourself some time to focus on your physical health. Try to get out of your room for at least 45 minutes and continue to be active- your body will thank you for the workout.
13. Play some board games.
It’s time to dig back into your closet and play the amazing games we used to play when we were growing up. Yahtzee, Connect Four, Uno, The Game of Life, and Monopoly are just a few classics that will never get old.
14. Take care of and treat yourself to a day of relaxation.
Use face masks, get a massage, paint your nails, etc. Do whatever you need to do to relieve stress and get your mind off things.
15. Rejoice because your online social life is up and running again.
Appreciate what you have and be thankful when the Wi-Fi is finally fixed.
“The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” – Bill Gates
