As I am sure everyone is aware of right now, we are in the middle of a pandemic. COVID-19 is a flu-like disease that has taken the lives of people around the world vastly and rapidly. Most jobs have been put on hold, kids have been taken out of school, and everyone is instructed to be in quarantine. What exactly does this mean? It means that it is best advised to stay inside of your house when applicable, to not go into any public spaces, and to stay at least 3 ft apart from others. Even though you might not be directly affected by the virus, It is important to follow these instructions so we can keep others safe and get things back to normal as soon as possible. I understand that it can be a scary time and a difficult transition. The most we can do right now is wash our hands, stay quarantined, and stay calm. This is more difficult said than done, so to get myself through this quarantine and the rest of the semester at my house I have made a list of “100 Things To Do In Quarantine”. I know that that is an ambitious goal, and that I probably won’t accomplish everything but I am going to try my best to keep myself motivated! I am going to share a couple broad ideas with you to inspire you to create your own to do list. Hopefully this will help encourage you to stay happy, healthy, and productive over this time!
1. Give yourself a bucket list of movies, tv shows, books! Anything you’ve ever been meaning to get to, get to it today! It’s a nice destresser and a couple hour disappearance from the world!
2. Stay in contact with loved ones! Even though you cannot see them in person, it doesn’t mean you can’t stay in contact! Text, Facetime, Call, anything! I know it’s especially difficult for college students who may be thousands of miles away from your loved ones, but technology has no bounds! In addition, you don’t just have to use technology to connect to them. For example, I am thinking about what to get two of my best friends for their birthdays because I don’t know if I will be able to see them in person.
3. Get crafty and creative! Start new things that we usually don’t have time to do in our day to day lives. Pick up a new hobby like knitting or scrapbooking! Order some arts and crafts off of Amazon that will be enjoyable for you and keep you occupied.
4. Lastly, and probably most important, go outside. I know this is pretty contradictory to what I was saying, but when being cautiously outside it can make all the difference. Go for a walk by yourself in the park, kick a ball around in your backyard, or just sit on your porch with a good book. Unless medically obligated to, giving yourself some “outdoor time” can make all the difference in your mental health.
This COVID-19 crisis is something that we as a society should take seriously, but that doesn’t mean we need to be sad and serious all of the time. When we are stripped of our humanity during this dark time, we need to give ourselves at least an ounce of joy so we can come out of this even stronger! Just remember: stay inside, pay attention to what your state is asking of you, and give yourself a pat on the back for getting through another day!