Where were you supposed to be right now?
Two weeks ago, I was studying abroad in London, living with friends and having brand new experiences every day. Now, I’m home again with my whole family and it feels a lot like high school. I really love spending as much time as possible with my family, and when I am away at school, I always miss it more than I can describe. Yet, now that we’re all under one roof, and I’m stuck with them 24/7, I find myself taking their company for granted. I’ve been taking a lot of things for granted, because I’m annoyed that I can’t see my friends, annoyed that I can’t be in London, and annoyed that no one knows when this weird time might end. If I had to describe my quarantine experience in a phrase, it would be that I’m bored and annoyed. But, I would also say that I’m trying (really hard lately) to look on the bright side and be grateful that boredom and annoyance are the greatest of my problems.
Here are 3 tips that I find helpful to surviving the Q with your siblings, parents, dogs, fish, and whatever crazy you might have going on in your house.
1. Set a time to do something as a family
My two siblings and I have online classes at different times, my parents have work, and sometimes the schedules just don’t line up. One person is bored and needs attention, another is desperately trying to meet a deadline, and everyone is just full-on annoying each other. About a week ago, we decided that 5-8 PM is family time. We’ll go on a walk or sit by the pool and eat dinner. I’ve been cooking with my mom, and we’ve also watched some family movies. We’ve even started watching TV shows together, and watching one episode a night together gives us all something to look forward to (P.S. – Tiger King, if you haven’t already seen it, is CRAZY shit, and I highly recommend it to all who need to know that they aren’t actually going crazy in quarantine).
2. Take alone time when you need it.
We love our families, yes, but that doesn’t mean we need to see each other every minute of every day. These weird quarantine schedules make it hard to get the downtime we need to recharge, and I don’t know about you, but when I get sick of my family, I tend to start fighting with them, and in this uncertain time, a fight is the last thing we need to keep sane. I’ve been spending my downtime napping, working out, or feeding my TikTok addiction. However you want to spend this time, take it.
3. Talk to people outside of your house.
I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH. I miss my friends and being annoyed with my family only makes me miss them more. It’s not the same as being face-to-face, but a FaceTime or Zoom call with my friends always makes me feel better. If you have friends that live close by, go on a walk with them (while still staying 6 feet apart and practicing social distancing, duh).
We’re all bored. We’re all sad about something ending or not happening, whether it’s a study abroad program, graduation, high school prom, or we’re just missing our lives from a month ago. But, I hope these tips help you find a little bit more enjoyment out of hanging out with your family. I try to remind myself that this may be the last time my family is all under one roof living together, and sometimes, that makes me excited… but other times, it makes me grateful for this totally unexpected time.
Happy quarantining and stay healthy!!