It’s 10 am. You groan as you roll your way out of bed and make your way over to the coffee maker. As you sip, you stare longingly out the window; dreaming of days pre-quarantine when things weren’t so monotonous. Oh, how you took that commute to the office for granted- if only you had a place, any place to go now. If you could only run a few errands, anything to get out of the house! But alas, the stores are closed, so instead you’ll resort to another day on the couch watching Tiger King on Netflix and eating multiple bags of microwave popcorn in your pajamas.
If you’re resonating on any level with this story, or if you’re simply trying to make self-isolation a little less dismal, maybe it’s time to shake up your routine. With the miracle of high-speed internet, there are endless ways to entertain yourself and stay productive.
Learn a new language: Always wanted to learn French? For $7 a month and 15 minutes a day, you can take part in Babbel’s 30-day challenge, and learn a new language before your quarantine is over. Nothing will make Jan in accounting more jealous than you walking into the office post-quarantine spouting off French phrases and planning your trip to Provence. Oui Oui!
Read a new book: It can be hard to find time to read during our normal busy lives, but lucky for you, you’ve got nowhere to be for at least a few weeks. Thanks to Amazon, you can easily have your new best friend shipped to your house, or listen with Audible. We suggest Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. You have our permission to watch the new TV adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon once you’re done, but only if you make a Facebook post about how much better the book was after.
Be there for your community: Self-isolation doesn’t mean you can’t still benefit society. There are various ways you can help while still practicing safe social distancing. You can make an appointment to donate blood with the Red Cross and earn those Thin Mints you’ve been hoarding, volunteer with Richmond Public Schools (or a program in your area), help distribute meals to underprivileged families or support local restaurants by ordering takeout or delivery. Know someone who could use a nice meal to break up their diet of Ramen and cereal? Send them a gift card to your favorite local restaurant. Don’t forget to tip extra well!
As a final note of hope and affirmation, we will get through this. Stay connected, go back to the basics of picking up the phone to call an old friend, write a letter to Aunt Gertrude, or dig out Grandma’s secret recipes. Smiles and belly laughs are the elixirs of isolation and can transcend any distance that separates us. Stay safe y’all. And please, wash your hands!
