How to stay positive and occupied during the quarantine

In the passing weeks, the citizens of Washington — and the world — have been encouraged, and then ordered to stay indoors to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19. The first few days of staying inside may have felt relaxing and cozy, but the inevitability of cabin fever began to set in, and we then found ourselves looking out the window, dreaming of a time when compulsive hand washing was not the norm. I found myself in the position, being isolated from my friends and family, but I realized that we should all take advantage of the free time we’ve been given, and tackle some tasks that we’ve been putting off for too long due to the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Life often puts up blindspots on our peripheries, and we often leave things behind that we once loved to do. Sometimes we leave books, movies, working out, video games and hobbies behind. It’s annoying to be condemned to our own living spaces, but it isn’t annoying to pick up old hobbies. Not only is it an excellent distraction from the interminable boredom we’re facing, but it’s like we’ve been given a snooze button on life. We can take this time to recuperate and also reshape our daily life into one that seems more appealing.

However, the hustle and bustle of life often prevents us from doing something else, which is taking the time to soak it all in. As Ferris Bueller once said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Personally, I am not quite sure how I am now in my senior year of college and not in my freshman year of high school. But somehow I’ve made it here. My senior year is coming to a close, and like running water, the time has slipped through my fingers and continues to do so. However, this quarantine is giving me the chance to mentally catch up with reality, and I advise that all who read this do something similar.

The most important thing to remember, however, is that while we feel isolated, we are not alone. If you hate the quarantine or you are enjoying your time inside, the object is that the multitude benefits from our isolation. Everybody is bored, but not everybody is healthy. When the shelter-in-place is over, your friends will still be there, school will still be there, and so will life.