If someone had told me back in January that I would spend some of the most important moments of my life in my living room during a pandemic instead of at my boarding school with my best friends, I would have called them crazy. But now that we’re about six months into quarantine, I wish I had known sooner.
Living at a boarding school is a completely different world from living at home. I met my closest friends through weekend activities and lived down the hall from them. There was always something to do like go to study hall in the library, attend a basketball game on Friday, or even watch an Uno competition in the student center. I spent four years at boarding school and there was never a dull day.
Now that I’m home life looks a little (extremely) different. My childhood friends live 30 minutes away from me. My siblings and parents are busy when I am free. My high school friends, who I used to spend every waking hour with, are now in college experiencing the same thing.
At first, it was hard. I felt like I was lost in my bedroom, daydreaming about walking across my high school’s campus to get food, or what I would have been doing with my friends that afternoon. I would sit down in the basement (where my dad’s office is) and ask him if he wanted to paint or play video games. That’s what I did on Saturdays with my roommate before everything changed. Eventually, I realized that it was time to revamp my life at home so I could have more fun.
First, I started Chloe Ting’s workout challenge (emphasis on started, but at least I tried)! Working out did help me feel better since I wasn’t just sitting around anymore, so I decided to workout four days a week. Even on the days I didn’t feel like doing those leg lifts and squats, I did Beyoncé’s “Getting to the Money” dance routine. It wasn’t a performance Beyoncé would have paid me for but it definitely put a smile on my siblings’ faces.
Another way I started to have more fun at home was cooking with my mom. At school, I was used to either going to the cafeteria or getting Postmates delivered every week. When I came home, it was clear that if I was going to order for myself, I had to order for the whole family. So instead of spending the money I’m (still) trying to save for when I get to campus, I wrote down my favorite meals and asked my mom to help. Last week I made chicken alfredo with asparagus and I have to say, Gordon Ramsey would be proud… hopefully.
Along with working out and cooking, I decided to pick up my old hobbies. I started painting, organizing different spaces around the house, and even knitting with my younger sister. Most recently, my family and I started movie nights again which brings the whole house together as opposed to all of us being in our rooms.
Hopefully, what I have learned over these past few months will help me when I move on to Hampton’s campus for the first time. For others who transitioned from a life outside the house to being a homebody, my advice is make the most out of it. Changing up your routine, calling a loved one, or even binge watching your favorite series can make these times a little brighter.