With the semester coming to an end, the summer before my senior of college is fast approaching. If you haven’t thought about this yet, you will now. But the summer before your senior year of college (depending if you have a job/internship) will probably be the last long break that you ever have again. When will you have 3 months “off” again?
Along with this, I have been thinking about being stuck at home right now in quarantine, just like that summer before your last year in college, when will this ever happen again? The answer? Never (hopefully). Days may be long, boring, even stressful. You miss your friends, some family, probably even school. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to focus on yourself. Here are 5 things I am taking advantage of right now while in quarantine.
- Running
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No, running isn’t for everyone, so maybe just a long walk will do. I used to run in high school. In college, I got so busy and stressed so my habit fell short. I struggled with running a mile when I first came home, but I get outside, no matter the weather, and try my hardest. Now, I am running 3, 4, and 5 miles. With the time at home though I have been really able to focus on becoming a better runner. I eat better, I do strength training workouts at home, and I get outside every single day. I have been able to generate a new habit and lifestyle that I don’t see myself giving up again. I feel so much better since I began this, both mentally and physically.
- Journaling
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I have always loved writing (hence the English writing major), but it is hard to focus on your own writing when you’re in school and constantly writing papers and just wanting to *relax* during your free time. I spend my entire days staring at a screen with online classes, watching T.V. and texting my friends. I needed a break, which everyone needs. And whether you like to write or not, this is the time to start. Sit down and write how you’re feeling, what you did that day, what you ate that day, what you want to get done tomorrow, people you miss, anything you want. It will give your mind a break and years down the road you’ll be thankful you have your little quarantine journal. And who knows, you may enjoy it and start practicing journaling daily (as I highly recommend). It is very good for your mental health.
- Self-Care
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I know I can’t be the only one who neglected this term “self-care,” while at school. I let people take advantage of me and my time. I was sleeping very little. Like I said earlier, exercise was out of the question. I had days where I ate too much and terribly unhealthily. Then I had days where I didn’t eat anything. Too much caffeine, not enough water. Well, being stuck at home, you ultimately have two choices, sit in self-pity, boredom, and sadness (this isn’t talking about mental illnesses— that is entirely different) or you can learn how to better your overall life right now while you have the time to take these self-care practices into the summer, next school year, and the rest of your life. I try not to stay up late on my phone nor do I sleep late most days. I limit myself one cup of coffee. I drink tea before bed and usually take a hot bath to relax my muscles. I do face masks every other day. I always make sure I have drank at least 8 glasses of water that day and always drink one glass before bed and when I wake up. I eat cleaner and healthier. I have been taking the time to pay attention to what I am putting in my body, nothing processed or full of sugar. On top of my run in the morning, I also try to take a casual walk with my mom or sister or one of my dogs in the evening after dinner. One important thing I have learned is the importance of making my bed every morning and keep my bedroom clean and organized. You will feel so much better and productive. These are just a few self-care practices I have incorporated into my everyday routine.
- Family Time
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This is such a rare time to be stuck at home with your family, whoever that may be, it is so rare. It probably is getting on most of our nerves by now somehow or another. But I think it is important to realize not only you, but everyone in your family is struggling in a different way right now, but you all have each other and some people have no one. I have been taken advantage of this time to become closer to my family members however that may be. Maybe it is opening up about your feelings more than you usually do (making you and your family feel less alone). I also have enjoyed asking my mom and dad questions about their life and our life when I was younger, there is SO much you don’t remember, it’s fun to learn about stuff. Even your family history, learn as much as you can now before it is too late. You will inevitably learn more about yourself this way. You can also use this time to tell your parents *things* they don’t know. We all kept secrets in middle school, high school maybe even college, and at least for me, it has been *fun* exposing myself to them. Whether it was the night I snuck out, lied about who I was with, a friend they never knew about or some “crazy” night they never knew about. They can’t really do anything about it now and at least for my parents, they have just been laughing at these stories now that I am older (do this at your own risk). But enjoy this time with your family, no matter how annoying they may be.
- Cooking
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I have talked about this a few times now, how I am paying attention to what I am putting in my body and eating cleaner and healthier. This is so important to learn about for a healthy lifestyle. If you would have asked me just 3 months ago what my plan was for whenever I moved out of my house for food, I would’ve said eating out every other meal and a few frozen dinners here and there. I could not even cook spaghetti, and I normally burned popcorn. I could NOT cook. But I have been using this time to experiment (and fail many times) with new recipes. I started with learning basics and I have gone from there. My favorite thing is finding recipes that are “healthier” versions of somewhat unhealthy foods I love. When you start making homemade food, you start to realize how much better everything tastes, and also how much better you feel when you know exactly what you are putting in your body. It is also satisfying spending time in the kitchen cooking and sitting down to enjoy your self-prepared meal. But this is an excellent time to either learn how to cook or become a better one, which is a skill you will use for the rest of your life.