Hello my fellow quarantine buddies. If you don’t live under a rock then you probably are experiencing social distancing and quarantining like the rest of the global population during the Covid-19 pandemic. And just like you reading this, everyday is getting harder and harder to bear. It’s always the same old routine. Wake up. Brush teeth. Skincare. Eat food. Sit on the couch and turn on the tv. Think to myself, “Maybe I should finally get around to that late homework assignment.” Laugh out loud at that hilarious thought, and click continue watching on my netflix account about a show that has fictional characters who still have reasons they need to wear jeans for.
I was always a homebody. But since my move to New York, I’ve gotten used to being outside while surrounded by many strangers as each second goes by. And now that I have to go back to my old ways, and by force, is excruciating. It is not even like I can pretend to be on a short vacation because of the still ongoing school year. And sadly, there’s no way to get around this. So since this universal problem is inescapable, here are five ways to keep yourself calm and grounded during quarantine if you are starting to go insane like me.
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Make Some Playlists
This is a great way to kill time because you have complete creative control to put any group of your favorite tunes together. You can arrange them however you want such as adding songs based on a fictional plot you made up in your head, adding songs according to a certain mood or situation, adding songs based on your favorite memory, etc.. It is a small creative project that can help you distract yourself in a fun and simple way. It hardly requires any effort, because all you need is a good music app and a theme!
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Get Some Fresh Air
Although we are on lock down, this doesn’t mean that we are literally on lock down. You can still step outside of your house while maintaining social distancing. Just make sure to bring your hand sanitizer and limit contact with all objects and people around you. My doctor once told me that it’s always important to see a little green everyday. Get outside and smell those trees and flowers! Do not forget that although this is a tough time to be outside, it is still spring time. So admire those freshly bloomed flowers and soak up that well deserved sunlight.
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Make Pinterest Boards
This is one of my favorite activities to do because not only is it relaxing, but it’s also helpful. You can literally organize your life on your pinterest without even noticing and getting stressed out. I started to use pinterest to make fashion boards to figure out my type of style before the pandemic. And now that I’m stuck inside with many clothing ideas I have and nowhere to go, pinterest is the best way to express myself fashionally. It’s the most distracting and time consuming but creative outlet I know. So use it to save hair ideas, interior design ideas, recipes, etc. What’s not to love?
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Get Organized
Now, hear me out. I know that motivation is hard for everyone right now, but even if you organize one thing a day, you could make a huge difference to your living space. I know you have that one draw in your house that’s filled with random things. Clean it out and make it neat. Organize your shoes, your sink cabinets, or even your fridge. The little accomplishments you make can help you take further steps into completing even bigger tasks like doing laundry or doing homework.
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Journal
If there’s one thing I can tell you to convince you to journal, all I’ll say is, “A paper and pen won’t tell you to shut up.” Before I started therapy, I relied heavily on journaling. It was the only way I could express my feelings without the fear of being judged or invalidated. I know this is a hard time we are going through right now. And for those who deal with mental health issues, I know it probably feels like our world is falling down a catastrophic rabbithole doomed for annihilation. So don’t be afraid to use journaling as an outlet to express your thoughts in concerns. It’s a good way to help reveal the issues you are dealing with so you find a way to cope with them and help you become less stressed.
I want to remind you that this is a weird ass time. We have never experienced something as drastic as a pandemic that is keeping us locked up inside of our houses before. Hell, yesterday I saw a snapchat memory of me out on the town and was genuinely shocked. For a second I forgot that places other than the four walls that make up my bedroom existed. No one really knows how long this will last and no one knows what to do. Everyone is just as clueless as the next. But the one thing we can all do is stay inside and try to find outlets that make us less stressed about the world. You don’t have to come out of this quarantine as a better person. You don’t have to use this quarantine as a period of deep self-reflection. What you need is a way to make this as bearable as possible. And if you do that by watching every Netflix show or making a playlist for everyone you know, then do that. Times are hard, but we all need ways to stay sane.