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Over the past month, I have found various ways to help cope with the Coronavirus and being quarantine. Occupying myself to forget about the sadness and the fear; to do things that make me happy and lift my spirits. I try to find light and the good in these trying times; spending more time with my parents, having good health, the ability to destress and relax, more time to create, more time to read and journal, sleep a lot, a place to live and food to eat and money to buy things. I am looking at this time not as a prisoner stuck in my own home but as someone who is fortunate to have all the time in the world to do the things she loves to do and to be with people she loves. Here are a few things getting me through quarantine besides my family and friends.
Since we are all staying home, this is a great time to perfect our skincare regime. We are not wearing makeup and walking around in the pollution, leaving our skin to feel and look as healthy as it’s ever been. Although I am still breaking out around my menstrual cycle, my skin hasn’t looked and felt this good in a while. Besides staying on top of your skincare routine, this is a great time to test out new products. If you were ever curious about an eye cream or serum but afraid it may make you break out, try it while we have nowhere to go.
Does anyone else have a pair of “nice” sweatpants? The ones you wear to feel a little bit more put together, but they are still sweatpants. And then ones you wear for when you don’t care what you look like? I do. I currently have a pair of pink sweatpants (sold out) that I am practically living in. Right now sweatpants are considered dressed up, so take full advantage of this time.
With having all of the time in the world to do the things we promise we will get to someday, this is the time to pick up the book you have been neglecting. If you are a book lover like myself, then take this time to read as much as your heart desires. Reading has helped me escape the news, work frustrations, and the current situation.
Thank goodness for at-home workouts! Whether I am only doing a 10-minute leg workout, a full hour class, a walk around the park, or riding bikes with my dad, I am making sure I move and sweat every day. I shared in this post here my favorite at-home workouts. Working out puts me in a better mood and lets me release all of my frustrations, sadness, and anger I may be feeling.
What would life be without music? I always drown myself in songs, tailoring to whatever mood I am in. One way I am getting through quarantine is by listening to music; making playlists and having dance parties. Right now I am looking to purchase a vinyl record player– most likely will do it after this is all over and I am back in NYC. Since I am at my parent’s house, I have been playing around with their record player and enjoying a house filled with music.
What a time to be a puzzle company! My parents and I have been finding different activities to do that do not involve watching TV. I think we have done about 4 puzzles so far. But besides puzzles, there are plenty of other activities to do to pass the time. For instance, I have been coloring in my Vogue adult coloring book. You can paint, craft something, make masks, garden, journal, and organized.
We can’t be productive every minute of the day, especially during times of uncertainty. It’s ok to not do anything and binge-watch shows for hours. I make sure during the workday do not watch TV but on the weekends I allow myself to be one with the couch. We are stressed out, scared, and sad, we deserve to escape and not think. We deserve to just relax and do nothing. A few shows I am currently binge-watching are Ozark season 3, Parenthood, Friends, and Little Fires Everywhere. Movies I have watched during this pandemic and highly recommend are Jumanji 2 and Emma. Up next is Midway.
No time like the present to learn a new skill or take an online class or course. I recently signed up for The Science of Well-Being course at Yale University (it’s free!). If you want to learn a new skill you can sign up for different courses on Masterclass. Learn to Photoshop or use Lightroom on Adobe. Other online learning sites: General Assembly, Udemy, Skillshare, and Google Digital Garage. If taking an online course is of no interest to you, try learning to play a musical instrument, cooking class online, start running, plant a garden, etc.