Emotion: depression
Problem: ongoing depression
Situation: overall daily stresses

user: Hello I am here to talk about my overall daily stresses

assistant: Hi! Tell me what's going on.

user: yeah I guess different factors, just self isolation for months due to the pandemic, and nearing the end of my studies and experiencing that final last-minute crunch with studying and assignments. I am more stressed and anxious than anything, and not really depression.

assistant: Understood. You have a lot on your plate, especially with the "new normal".

user: yes that's right. The plate issue is more to do with my studies now than the pandemic. Though the pandemic is adding to my anxiety and fear of the outside world especially when I have to go out everytime for errands and personal admin.

assistant: Are you doing online schooling? And yes, going anywhere can be a bit nerve-wracking

user: yes I am. I preferred the old-school way. I've completed university before and it's much better to do things in-person. My online studies have been in place even before the pandemic. Just finishing up with courses and catching up with last minute stuff I feel like so little time when in fact I had loads of time for the last few months. I just seem to think and do things slower and more distracted

assistant: I understand; sometimes I have moments like that, too.

user: like time is moving on so quickly and there's so little hours in the day but I feel that I don't do enough in a day with my school, kind of distracted or wasted time and then when I do something, I look at the time and am sometimes surprised at how much time had actually elapsed when it felt like I didn't do much.

assistant: What kind of things are you doing for yourself? Do you have a place to or a thing to do to...decompress?

user: I think this has to do with the pandemic at the start of the year and that changed my momentum and rhythm in life and coupled with social isolation, which puts a damper on my studying mentality, I think. I spend tons of time at home nowadays. I try to surf the net and read up on stuff, and that takes a lot of my time, and kind of aimless, and what I would say is procrastination. I work out from time to time, but not as much as I used to before the pandemic.

assistant: Sure, it sometimes feels like time is different right now. Like your typical life patterns just did a complete circle.

user: I wanted to set aside hobbies and things to develop, like writing during the pandemic, and improve on that skill, but I never got to do that. And now so many months have gone by, and all that's on my mind and plate now are my studies, because it's like I do things slower and leave it till the last minute, even though I know I can pass, but just not as good a mark as I would have liked and not my usual work and study ethics from before. yeah not only a complete circle but to me, it's like an aimless road to nowhere, and it goes on and on and repeats day after day that's how it felt for the last few months and everyday is the same and at home, and only two months ago I started working in a new part-time position and that got some normalcy back and less stress and alleviated unpredictability with the economy for me.

assistant: Understood! I'm not in the exact same situation, but I feel you. There's the thought there would be so much to do things and...there's not. And you feel stuck a bit.

user: stuck for sure. It still amazes me that it's november and not march, because it still feels like that. and nowhere as festive, fun, and alive as last november. It's a huge change

assistant: Definitely a massive change!

user: it feels nothing special, and not normal, and not even like a real november, you know? It's like even if it's christmas, I wouldn't ackowledge it's christmas even though it is, because of the changes and we can't do the things w e used to do. hopefully, scientists can study all these phenomena and our physiological, social, and mental responses to the pandemic. There will be so much that can be learned from all this, I feel.

assistant: Of course. We can'r celebrate the way we used to, we might not be able to visit family. Oh yes, this is a learning opportunity about anxiety and isolation

user: And it's worse because I live by myself so don't have someone here. But I do talk on the phone with my friend daily about things and that does help a lot. yeah like for me, I am not able to fly back to visit my folks this year, and this is the first time And I feel bad about it but nothing I can do

assistant: That's good that you have people to reach out to.

user: yeah anyways, thanks for listening and understanding. I appreciate your input very much. It does help for me to vent I guess and for someone to listen I am good to go now thanks a lot for your help

assistant: You're welcome! Venting can be great! Take care of yourself and stay in touch with your friends

user: will do. And best of luck to you. Stay well and stay safe. Thanks again.