Coronavirus quarantine and social-distancing got you down? Here are some fun tips and tricks to try out while taking a much-needed break from the rest of the world.
- Organize your life
Having more free time is something that every working-class American craves while they are in the midst of a loaded 40-hour workweek. Now that you have this time to catch your breath, try making yourself more organized. Check up on that old planner that’s either overused and ripped apart or sitting untouched and lost somewhere. Erase your whiteboard calendar that is still in the month of November, and update everything with your current goals and tasks. Keeping yourself organized will help to relieve the tension and stress that might come along with being stuck in the house or having to work from home. Routine is your savior.
- Set up your ideal makeshift workspace
Although you might be missing your comfy office chair or that spot in Neville Hall where you love to sit and read, there are ways to make your home into a work-space you can thrive in. Try dedicating one certain room to study and do work in, one that isn’t your bedroom. Find a table and chair to place in an area free from as many distractions as possible, and include on the table things you would typically have with you while studying at school. It might be helpful to also include a small pencil box or bin where you could store your phone, making it invisible and out of the way for the short time being.
- Try the new “whipped coffee” recipe
With more free time comes more time to play around with recipes that could help save you money later. One example is the new TikTok craze that is the “whipped coffee.” With only three ingredients, this is one way people have been saving money and surviving without Starbucks and Dunkin’ as a part of their daily routine. The drink involves mixing instant coffee, 2 tablespoons of sugar and water together in a bowl with a spoon or a mixer until stiff and fluffy. Most people then spoon the coffee over ice and milk and there you have it!
- Clean!
Now is the time to clean everything you have ever touched, especially with a virus outbreak being the reason for your time now spent mostly on the couch. Grab some Lysol wipes and spray, or look up a video to make your own if there are none to be found. Make your bed, fluff your pillows and do the things that will make you more proud of your living space and keep you feeling comfortable, grounded, productive and clean in a time of chaos.
- Remember “me time”
Make sure to take breaks from studying to play a game, watch TikToks, FaceTime friends or to watch a Netflix show while wearing a face mask. Distractions do make it harder to concentrate on work, but can also serve as rewards at the end of a long day working from home.
- Make your own board game (or order one online)
Even while social distancing, there are ways to keep yourself entertained and engaged with the people you live with. Try making a board game with household materials, or upcycling an old Jenga set or faded puzzle. If there aren’t enough materials to be crafty, decide with your family on an iPhone game like Headbands or purchase one online.
- Go online shopping
Just because you can’t go to the mall with your friends, doesn’t mean you can’t still keep tabs on the latest trends and sales from your laptop at home. Many online retailers are offering discounts, free shipping and free returns on their products during the pandemic in order to allow customers more freedom and opportunity while in need. Search the websites of your favorite stores for deals and clearance sections, and take advantage of the perks.
- Pick up that book that’s been sitting on your dresser for years
Everyone seems to have that one book they may have started but never got to finish or the one they bought but never opened. Now is the time to pick it up and dedicate a few hours to making sure your brain still works, free of distractions.
- Reconnect with family
Social distancing can be a stressful time for everyone, especially when tensions increase while being stuck in the same house as the rest of your family. Try to cherish the added time you get to spend with loved ones and remember that you don’t usually get to be around them this often. Check up on your siblings, and make your parents a snack while they are working at the kitchen table. Don’t take them for granted even in stressful times like these, but also make sure you are keeping yourself and your family safe.
- Write about your experience
Write it down! This is a memorable time in your life that will make the history books, so keep a journal or diary logging your experiences and thoughts about it. You never know, it might bring inspiration for a new blog or even the draft of a new book to share with your kids someday. Keeping a record of these memories will be beneficial and hopefully enjoyable to look back on once this is over.
