What do you do when there's nothing to do? Normally, we at Austin Peay are enjoying a bountiful springtime slate of baseball, softball, golf, track and field, tennis and beach volleyball this time of year. We have games and there are fans and it's busy but also highly enjoyable. With the world at large in a state of flux, athletics is no different. Each week, we'll check in on one of our own to see how they're coping with the new normal. This is Change In Season, detailing how members of the athletic department are dealing with the upending of our work lives. Today's guest: academic services all-star Ryan Combs.

How has the virus affected your day-to-day work operation?

The virus hasn't ended my day-to-day work operation at all, but it has kind of turned it upside down. We are here to serve students in their academics, and since it's all changed to online, it has kind of changed the way we usually approach this, but our office has had to adapt. We're all working from home, but in some ways I have more meetings now than I did when we were in the office. We are still meeting with students weekly, but now it's all through zoom (today I have 11 meetings). It's also forced us to try to think creatively in how to still engage student-athletes, and try to keep them working towards doing their best, and preparing them for life outside the classroom. We've already had one Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meeting, and have our second one scheduled for Wednesday, April 8. I've been on quite a few N4A calls with professionals from schools across the country, and seeing how others are adapting to this has really helped me try to stay creative, supportive, and engaged with our students, even though they are spread out throughout the country. So to answer your question, it's not changed what we do, but it's completely changed how we do it.

How has the uncertainty affected your overall well-being?

For the most part, I've just tried to take this thing one day at a time. I still have a job, I'm still able to stay busy, and technology allows me to see my students and coaches at least once a week. Everything else is completely out of my control it feels like, so I try to not let it weigh on me that much. The biggest uncertainty is that Jessica (Cathey, Austin Peay women's golf coach) and I have our wedding scheduled for August 8, so trying to plan a wedding while praying that by August 8 we will be able to have one is a surreal experience. We are just trying to take it a day at a time, because it seems to me that any kind of prediction from myself about 4 months from now nothing more than a guess. It's easy to say I trust God, but when you truly don't know what tomorrow holds, it gives you an opportunity to sit in that trust that I usually am so confident that I have. It's a good thing though. It pushes you in a little deeper, and makes you realize how active your faith should be.

Take away work—how has this affected how you live your life?

I've got to spend a lot more time with my fiancé and my roommates! It's very unfortunate that Jessica's season was cut short, and I hate it. They were having a strong first season, and I was looking forward to seeing them compete for the OVC. But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice that we get to see each other more now. Also spending more time away from watching sports (kind of forced), and much more time outside of my house going on runs, working out, or even going to Jessica's to work in her yard.

How do you cope with such drastic changes in the work day?

I've had to get in a routine. That first week was tough to stay productive. With being at home, and technically being able to sleep in a little bit can be a trap, especially when I have a lot of work to do each day. So trying to stay in a routine has been crucial. Even though I can get up at anytime and go play XBox, I know how frustrated I'm going to be if I get to the end of a day and didn't get a lot of my stuff done. I've also had to be more intentional about spending time in prayer and reading my Bible. I have all this time at home now, but it's so easy to still fill it with other things. Staying in a routine and being productive is just as much of a choice now as it ever was.

How much does it suck to lose the end of the spring athletic slate?

It definitely stinks. This was Jessica's first season, and she's a competitor, and my roommate (Colton Cowan) is her assistant. It really hurt to see their season just come to a screeching halt. I'm also close to most of our students here, and to see everything they know this time of year to just end; it's very strange and sad to see. I grew up playing baseball, so it being spring and not be able to go sit and watch baseball and softball is so odd. It's just a different world. I hate it for the students and the coaches.

What do you miss most about losing out on this time with the student athletes?

Spring semester always flies by, and it ends with such excitement in graduation and honestly warm weather; I miss that a lot. I miss joking around with them, pushing them to finish the semester strong, sitting at the baseball field and seeing multiple teams hanging out and doing homework while they watch the game, and just seeing teams compete for championships as they finish the school year. I also am really going to miss seeing everyone dress up and celebrate the year at the ESPEAYs. It has helped me see some things that I had been taking for granted. I get to share four years of these students lives with them, and I don't want to take that for granted any more.

How do you stay in touch with your teams and let them know you're still focused on them and their well-being?

A LOT of Zoom and Facetime. We don't have the physical study hall hours any more, but I would say that I have more one-on-one academic meetings now than I did when we were on campus. For all of my students that were in study hall (40ish for me), I have a 20-minute meeting with them at least once a week. But I try to not just ask about academics, but see how they are, and have them tell me a little bit about what life is like at home. I've also stayed in contact with our SAAC group. They've done a great job coming up with initiatives like #Govs6ftAPart, and are also working on some other community service options to serve our community through technology in this strange time. We're currently trying to come up with some fun ways to keep our teams connected too. It's been fun to see them be creative, but also to have SAAC Zoom calls where we have people from coast to coast, and even around the world. From Australia, to Germany, to California, to New York, Zoom kind of takes me around the world each week.

What are some of the things you will be able to focus on now that you wouldn't usually during this time?

It's honestly been pretty non-stop up until now work wise. We had advising for the fall semester that we had to complete as soon as this all started, so our office was slammed those first two weeks. Since then it's been a lot of catching up with students to make sure they are good with the online transition, and now we look up and we are three-and-a-half weeks away from finals. I will say that it has been nice connecting with professionals in my field from around the country. That is one thing that I am going to try to be intentional about once all of this clears. Taking time to be encouraged by what others are doing has really helped me think a little more outside the box.  I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice being able to spend more time with my fiancé as well. Trying to read some more, but I have this bad habit of starting a book, and then a week later starting another one at the same time. We will see how that goes.

How important will self-care be during this time? What will you do to focus on you?

I think it's definitely important. It's easy to roll out of bed, work, and then just stay in your pajama's all day, but I can't do that. A routine is important, but also staying physically active, stay connected with people (even if it's through technology), shower and stay productive. I still try to write out my daily to-do list for the next day at the end of each work day, and being able to stay on track like that really helps me.

My family is in Kentucky, and the Governor of Kentucky is HIGHLY discouraging people from other states to come to during this, so we've tried to FaceTime a little more with them. I'm really close with my family, so it's been nice to stay in touch with them. Just trying to take it one day at a time, and not worry about what the future may hold, all the while doing our part in social distancing and staying at home.

What are you doing to help and reassure those that work with/for you?

I'm just trying to keep it fun and light! It's easy to panic about things we can't control, but it tends to just make it worse. We still have a lot of work to do, so it's easy to keep ourselves busy, but there are also so many things to be thankful for, it just looks a little different right now. I also try to stay creative. I've created a few games to play in the back yard, and staying in touch with the students and seeing how they are living life back home is fun too! There's a lot to still smile about, so trying to stay connected with people, and still share the joys of life with them has helped me, and I think it helps others too! Sometimes all you can do is laugh.

What would you say to someone struggling with mental health during this time?

It's real, and you're not alone. Worlds have truly been turned upside down, and then just stopped. It's such a strange time, and so many of us have no idea how to cope with it. I would encourage them to not think of social distancing as complete isolation. We are made for community, and it is SO important that we try to maintain that. We're blessed with technology, and we have to use it to see people, catch up with people, laugh with people, cry with people, and live life with people. I'd also say that it's okay to be afraid, but try to not let it paralyze you. These are crazy times, and fear is totally normal. However, you still have the choice to let that run your life, or to take the uncertainty and try to make a little lemonade out of it. So many cool things can come out of a time of uncertainty, but it's incredibly difficult to do it alone. I would say, try to control what you can control, talk to people regularly, be honest and vulnerable about what you're struggling with, get in a routine, and get outside when you can! For students, counseling services is still open and will offer their services through phone. If you can't find anyone at all to talk to, know that we are here, your teammates are here, and your coaches are here, but counseling services can also be reached at (931) 221-6162.