When the pandemic became our shared reality in 2020, our lives were suddenly put to a halt. Gone are the routines that involved the outside world. If we’re allowed to go out—depending on your area’s CQ status—we have to wear face masks and face shields.

So we had to eventually adapt to this new way of life. Some made dalgona coffee, some skipped ropes, but through and through there’s been a buzzword that it all boils down to: resilience.

Resilience, according to the American Psychological Association, is “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, or threats.” And this is something we’re not born with! It’s developed through time and experience.

But resilience isn’t a sword we can just whip out during pandemics only. As students, we must cultivate resilience as a value so we can prepare and safeguard our future. So we’ve rounded up some tips on how to make resilience a mainstay in your life:

Have flexible plans

Having a rigid outlook in life, a super tunnel vision, can aggravate the feelings of suffering. Being unable to adjust to situations keeps you locked in a box of stress. And it’s no fun to live like that! To shed this super nega attitude, keep an open outlook to everything. This may be challenging but if you’re going to be resilient, being flexible to the changes that come and go is a necessary skill to have. Your future self will thank you for it!

Focus on what one can control

Trying to control what you actually can’t control will only drain your energy and stress you out even more. Things that are out of your control (and you shouldn’t blame yourself for) include: the weather, traffic, the amount of people lining up at the Starbucks drive-thru, etc. To be a Resilient Ranger, try to stay focused on the things that are manageable, or that you can control. So just relax and breathe. Think about how stressful this would be for your inner project manager, and stick to your own strengths instead.

Identify stress management strategies

Stress is constant. But reducing loads of stress and negativity in our lives can help manage our emotional response to situations, especially the ones outside of our control such as a pandemic.

For stress management beyond the pandemic, do this practice: Anytime a stressful situation comes up, listen to how you respond and react to it, and make a mental note to shift that negative energy into a positive one. It will be hard at first, but that’s why it’s called practice for a reason. You can also employ productivity apps to help you manage your to-do lists, deadlines, grocery lists, etc. Whatever you think works as a tool for stress management for you, take it through a trial-and-error test. In no time, you’ll be able to identify your own strategies for stress management and, congratulations, you’re now equipped to better respond to stress!

Determine where and when one needs external support

No man is an island! Most especially now that we’re loosening our restrictions towards going out and social distancing. Being resilient means you know when to ask for help from the people who you know can support you. It’s also one of the hallmarks of being a strong and confident individual—knowing that you can’t solve your problems on your own and going out of your way to seek help from your support group.

If you find it hard to seek external support, start with the small things. Ran out of flour in your pantry? Maybe you can ask your roomie for a pasabuy when they go out. Exponentially build on that and determine who shows up for you (as you do for them).

Now that we’re going back to “normal”, it’s best to remember what we’ve learned during the pandemic and make use of it post-panini. Your resilience can also bring more value as you continue planning your world domination… or as you brave through three virtual exams in a day. Keep riding those waves of change, bestie!