Quarantine: A Reflection
2020 has been somewhat of a whirlwind, so to speak. The year started off like any other normal year, filled with hopes and dreams of goals to be accomplished within the new twelve months: a clean slate! Plans were made, vacations were booked, and spirits were high. For many, 2020 was going to be “their year”.
Though, in a matter of weeks, life, as we know it, changed. Stores were closed (some even boarded up), masks became the new “fashion” accessory, toilet paper started wars, and whole cities were emptied!
Remember all those dystopian novels you read as a kid? Yeah, those ones. And that quote, “Sometimes strange fiction, becomes grim reality” (Wayne Gerard Trotman)? Odd, isn’t it, this world we live in today…
Yesterday, for the first time since March 14, I left my house (armed with my homemade mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer). Sure, nothing real crazy has changed, but that didn’t change the fact that it felt weird to be outside, in a car, driving around the local neighborhoods.
Fortunately, I am able to say that I was not dramatically impacted by these changes, and for that, I am very grateful. In a sense, quarantine has been a sort of godsend for me (aside from the fact that I had to evacuate Germany and cut my study abroad experience…but we won’t talk about that).
Why a godsend, you may ask? Well, before quarantine, I found myself wishing for more time (because what does a 20 year old need more than time). More time to read, more time to write, more time to draw, more time to…whatever, you get the point. So, I guess you get what you wish for, right?
Though I can’t say I am happy with the current situation, I’m not upset either. I’ve had plenty of time to focus on writing and honing my skills. I picked up playing the piano after three years, I started drawing again, and I’ve connected with people I wouldn’t have normally connected with. I’ve also had a lot of time to reflect on what is really important in life…
Quarantine has taught me to be grateful for my experiences and live everyday to the best of my abilities, because you never know when the carpet may be swept out from under your feet.
My tips for bettering your experience in quarantine:
Get dressed. Sure, staying in your pajamas all day sounds real nice, doesn’t it? But nothing beats that sense of accomplishment you will get from putting on a pair of pants (no, not your favorite fuzzy penguin print pj’s) and a shirt. Believe me, you will feel the difference it makes to get dressed!
Plan out your days. When there is no more set work time, it’s easy to lose track of your old schedule, especially when you are at home all day. If you are someone like me, and you like routine, jot down your “to-do” list. This whole situation has not been too catering to us schedule oriented people, so some structure might be what you need to get motivated
Try to make each day special. This kind of goes hand in hand with the previous suggestion. In a time like this, it is easily to sort of fall into the “Groundhog Day” movie mindset, where each day is a repetition of the past, waking up and doing the same thing over and over…try and plan out something special to differentiate each day. Hop on a Zoom call with some friends you haven’t talked to in awhile, plan a movie/game night, get creative!
Reflect on what’s important. This can be as simple as taking out a post it note and jotting down three things. Gratitude is powerful, and in a time like this it is more important than ever.
Remember to wash your hands! ;) no explanation needed here.
“What would you do if you were stuck in one place and everyday was exactly the same and nothing that you did mattered”