The switch from on-campus classes to virtual instruction was unexpected for junior kinesiology student Tashay Woods, but was also a welcome adjustment in many ways. As someone studying exercise science, the break from campus allowed her to hone her knowledge at home, in a more intimate learning environment, while focusing on herself.

Woods, like all Fresno State students and most college students around the nation, is adjusting to the changing landscape of higher education brought about by the spread of COVID-19.

“Getting a sudden break in schedule, while still having a routine in place at home, enforced a mental and physical reset in myself that gave me the boost in energy needed to concentrate on studying and training as hard as I possibly can before having to go back to a regular, demanding schedule,” Woods said.

Woods is a full-time student and, before the City of Fresno’s shelter-in-place order, worked part-time at a kickboxing facility while regularly maintaining her own physical fitness through at-home strength training. When she’s not completing her virtual classwork, Woods makes it a point to stay active at home and apply what she’s learning in class into her own life.

Dr. Mark Baldis, an exercise physiologist and lecturer in the Department of Kinesiology at Fresno State, said it’s important for students to take care of their mental and physical health while at home. He said this notion also applies to anyone adjusting to working or learning from home.

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