As we end our 5th month in quarantine, everyone’s lives have become a weird mix of boredom, anxiety, and burnout. And it’s understandable––the constant influx of worrying news, the uncertainty of the future, and the stresses of work, academics, and life in general make it hard to feel okay. While it is important to stay informed and productive, these things should not be achieved at the cost of your own health, mentally and physically. So take a step back and make time for yourself to rest and recharge!
Here are some ideas to help make quarantine more bearable:
Watch New Shows
Running out of shows to watch? Here are few shows we recommend:
Why Women Kill
Why Women Kill explores the events held within a Pasadena mansion, in three different decades. This dark comedic drama follows the marriages, affairs, and eventual murders that occur in the lives of three different women. With only 10 episodes so far and a second season to come, Why Women Kill makes for an interesting but easy binge.
Itaewon Class
After his life takes a turn for the worst, an ex-con works to fulfill his father’s dream in opening up a street bar in Itaewon. Together with his friends and social-media famous restaurant manager, they work to conquer the streets and win over the diverse dining life of Itaewon.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
As the lives of a caregiver at a psychiatric ward and a famous children’s book author (forcibly) collide, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay tells a story of romance, drama, and coming to terms with irreparable pasts.
Kim’s Convenience
In a sitcom that captures the Asian-immigrant experience, Kim’s Convenience centers around a family’s experiences with the culture clashes of modern Western ideals, traditional Korean beliefs, and the growing pains of raising a family in a world that continues to evolve.
Japan Sinks 2020
For those who want a show that requires less time commitment, Japan Sinks 2020 is a 10-episode Netflix anime that explores a world where giant earthquakes hit Japan, bringing the country and its nation down with it. The show focuses on a small family as they struggle to survive and escape the country that crumbles beneath their feet.
Start a Small Vegetable Garden
While this seems time consuming or expensive, growing your own vegetables is actually very simple, and requires no soil or gardening tools. Rural Sprout breaks down how easy it is to grow vegetables out of vegetable scraps here.
Host Online Parties
It feels like Zoom video calls and watch parties are huge life-savers when it comes to spending time with friends and family online. It's times like these when apps and service extensions like Scener, and TwoSeven are almost vital in staying sane during the stay-at-home order! That said, here are other ways stay connected with others online:
Start a Listening Party
Discord is a free instant messaging app that offers not only screen-share, and voice chat, but a listening party option! For those who have a Spotify account, linking it to your Discord account allows you to stream music with your friends. For those who don’t have a Spotify, free Discord extensions such as FredBoat are available to keep the music going! (Listening to music with friends while studying or working is also a highly recommended 10/10 experience––sometimes you need someone there for you when you spiral down the hole of Camp Rock OST.)
Host a Jackbox Party
Just like writing a paper the day before its due, Jackbox games puts you and your friends under a time crunch to see what kind of weird things come from your brains when under pressure. And with every party pack currently on sale, now is the perfect time to play. Jackbox requires no gaming consoles, and only requires one laptop to host the game and smartphones to play.
And above all else, take it easy!
Hopefully with all of these ideas, your quarantine becomes a bit more tolerable! We hope you are doing well despite all the things 2020 continues to throw at us. Be safe, be healthy, and be kind to yourself! We hope to see you soon!