With what's going on right now, it feels like it's the end of the world. From closing down restaurants to going into survival mode and hoarding every food you can find at King Soopers like you won't ever be able to leave your house again, there has been so much negativity lately. And with schools, shops, and restaurants closing down, it feels like some of us have to spend spring break under quarantine right now to keep from getting sick. Since there is no school and we can’t go out to visit friends, my sister and I have been very bored and very lonely lately. This seems like a stressful and difficult time to be alive right now, but there are ways to go about this situation positively. I got this idea from @Justin's story, Corona. Like he says in his story, instead of hoarding all the toilet paper, you can give some of it to those who need it and using this situation as a way to support one another. And there are ways to make being under quarantine fun, like using it to spend time with your siblings and family; for example, hosting a Family Game Night. Comment below something you did or will do to make this negative and stressful time a little more positive and fun.
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I think one of the things that helps me the most is to schedule when I'm going to sleep. Making myself go to bed by 11pm at the latest and get up by 8am is really hard, but I'm so much happier and more awake when I do it!
Honestly, I’m just trying to get stuff done that I normally wouldn’t have time for. I’m finishing some art pieces, cleaning up, and doing some yard work.
During this time, I have chosen to focus on enjoying this new abundance of free time that I have. Without being able to physically attend school or work, I am able to really reflect on what I can use all of this time to accomplish and enjoy. I feel more connected with my parents, my dog has been getting two walks a day, and my bike has gotten the most use this past week than it has all year. I spend my days doing hosts of different activities, such as studying, doing yoga, cleaning, and reorganizing. To maintain feelings of structure, I've been making daily to-do lists and keeping track of a weekly calendar of events. To keep boredom at bay, I've found that rearranging furniture is great! Even though things feel chaotic and out of control right now, we can still find ways to be happy, enjoy ourselves, and thrive!
I can totally understand where you are coming from. I’ve found that many people are trying new things that they never had time for before such as painting, learning a new language or instrument, working out at home, and things like that. I’ve found that doing these things with a family member or on video chat with a friends has really helped me be more positive in this current situation where everything is so chaotic. trying different types of painting styles and art projects has been my main outlet. hopefully this was somewhat helpful.
Swimming in a rain filled ditch sounds epic and fun!
I have been able to go one multiple bike rides and I even went swimming in the rain filled ditch by my house. It was filled with rain water so it wasn't too nasty.
Getting out, no matter how, has just made it easier to deal with the past few boring weeks and those coming up.
I have a DVR full of old episodes of The Simpsons, so I have been slowly clearing them out when I need something silly and mindless to watch.
I have also been watching documentaries about WWII. While it's not a true "apples to apples" comparison, it is encouraging to see how our world was able to survive such a dark time in history and come out stronger as a result of it. I can't even imagine how scared our grandparents and great grandparents were some 80 years ago when the world was in chaos and uncertainty. I'm sure they felt a lot like we do today.
You all have shared wonderful ideas! I have been working on puzzles with my family, which I normally don't have time for during the school year. It is a treat. I also am trying to call or write a letter to someone every day to stay social.
It's really unlike me to have a two week break with so little planned. Usually I get to make lots of plans with friends and I have shifts at work, but since everything is getting cancelled, I have no work and I haven't got to see many friends. It's given me the opportunity to see that even on days that aren't structured, it helps me out to have a short list of things I want to accomplish, like hw assignments and drawing. Gathering is what makes us human, and our culture has shifted gatherings from small community things to giant things like concerts and football games, so it's strange watching everyone have to shift back to small communities. I think it's a really unique opportunity that we should be thankful to live through and learn from!
im currently stuck in TX w all of this going on. im staying w my grandparents rn and my grandad used to be a professional baker. So we’ve been doing lots of baking and cooking! It’s so easy to find simple recipes w the supplies you have in your own house so I really recommend looking for some of these online and on social media!!! It can be really calming to just focus on making something yummy.
I have been spending time connecting with my family and doing some extra studying on subjects that I have always wanted to learn about but have never had the time! Thanks @Caitlyn for sharing.
Sometimes, with this virus, it feels like I'm the only one I have. Due to that, I have been keeping in touch with my creative side. I've been filming, taking pictures outside (when it's safe to do so) and writing! I just recently wrote a short horror story about my schools 'haunted' bathroom :) I personally really enjoy writing, for it helps me stay creative as well as keep up with school expectations. For anyone interested in writing something, but you have no ideas, I'd say just open a blank document or grab a sheet of paper and let your creative juices flow :) And you can write about anything! Non-fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, whatever floats your boat. And if you're still stuck, tik tok has some really good POV's that I've based a few stories on. There's even one going around about the corona virus :) Just check em out on YouTube. Nonetheless, just write whatever your heart desires. There's no wrong answer. :)
Justin, you are a breath of fresh air!!! Such an inspiration!
I have recently taken possession of 4 PS4 remotes. I think I might try to get my family to take part in a family Playstation night. I've also been drawing little funny cartoons like you see in the newspapers (what am I saying! This is 2020 most of us probably don't know what a newspaper is). Also, if anyone here is feeling lonely this is a great place to express it. Also a few of you on this site who know me personally. If you feel lonely give me a call and maybe I can cheer you up. Nice going with this site Caitlyn.
I love this Caitlyn! There are so many things that we can still do. One of my favorites is to have a group video with family and friends. Zoom is a website that allows video conferencing with a bunch of people. My coach said to "Think about it as practicing physical distancing rather than social distancing--be extra engaged when you can. Call your friends, support local businesses online, or tell someone you care about them." It is easy to feel isolated and alone right now but with social media and technology we really don't have to be. Virtual hugs are a real thing, y'all!
As confusing and disorienting as all of this is, it's been such a reminder to focus on the things that matter - loving our families and friends. The most important things in life - faith, family, and friends - are still there. One thing I've been taking more time to do is to catch up with friends I haven't talked to in a very long while. Another thing I've been doing is "Good Things", which is something my high school did: you name one good thing that happened or that you are looking forward to or something that makes you happy. Finally, I'm really going to try to exercise, because that's the only thing that really shakes the stir-craziness. Plus, now we have time to go on walks and hikes and to explore the great outdoors without messing up social distancing.
Stay sane!
I love this thread, Caitlyn. During times like this, I think it is so important to focus on what we do have rather than what we don't have. I've been trying to get some exercise every day. The shot of endorphins from exercise really helps me to keep smiling. Youtube and Amazon have some great workouts you can do at home without any workout equipment. I have also video chatting with friends and family to get a little social outlet and encouraging each other. Press on and stay healthy friends. Here is a favorite quote from The Two Towers:
“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer." J.R.R Tolkien
I have gone on more bike rides and created a schedule for my days consisting of printing, outside, animals, movies, maybe friends even. But keeping busy and doing something is hard but this is the time for self care and hobby finding for sure! do what you love for sure and stay healthy and safe!
I have been watching horror movies with my brother and his girlfriend. and I have been cooking alot. Also I’m gonna get around to getting better at drawing. I’m just trying not to worry so much even known I do cause my dad is worried about losing his job. I’m just trying to keep in mind this is not the end. and try to lean on my faith to get me through this
I've also been dealing with packing up and leaving college, but being home means there's stuff that I can finally work on again! I've been painting a lot the last few days which was hard to do in my dorm room.
It's rough to deal with online classes and being separated from my friends, but I know that everyone's dealing with the same things and that we're all in it together for as long as this lasts.