At this point, I feel like I’ve gone through almost every quarantine phase there is: the “this is fine, it’ll only last 12 weeks” phase, the breadmaking phase, the TikTok phase (although I’ve yet to claw myself out of the TikTok phase), the 30 day song challenge phase, and arguably too many others. I have, however, managed to avoid the haircutting and hair-dying phase so far. In September, after 5 and a half months of quarantining at home, I was looking forward to a change of scenery and was craving some quality time with friends I hadn’t come within 6 feet of in almost half a year. Although my expectations required some quick readjustments after, for some reason, life in Kingston somehow wasn’t miraculously back to normal as I guess I’d subconsciously expected, I’ve enjoyed getting to know parts of Kingston I had never previously seen. In my three years living in Kingston, I had never ventured north of my apartment in the dreaded “north of Princess” area or hiked up Rock Dunder, which I have now had the time to do.
Now, heading into month 8 of quarantine, I’m finding myself starting to lose motivation again. As the weather keeps getting colder and the days get darker it’s harder to see friends and spend time outside. Looking back on everything that has kept me relatively balanced so far has helped me feel a little more prepared for the many months of winter to come.
Finding things to look forward to has been a crucial part of my quarantine survival guide. With endless months of sitting inside and going through the same routine every day, breaking up your time helps make life feel a little bit less monotonous. Something as simple as a movie night or a themed dinner on the weekend has helped reaching the end of the week feel somewhat like an accomplishment. I’m grateful for my friends, with whom I’ve been able to come up with a list of Covid-friendly activities to keep ourselves entertained this year. From mastering a TikTok dance to trying out a new recipe or going on a trip with friends, there are lots of ways to make the most of the year. As a bonus, crossing items off the list also provides some sense of productivity. Although my fourth year of university is looking drastically different than expected, I’m curious to see what the next phase of quarantine might be.