Social Distancing Life Lessons

This time of social distancing and quaranQUEENing (@jvn) is unprecedented, to say the least. I, for one, was not prepared physically, mentally, or emotionally for this period of staying six feet away from anyone at all times, only leaving my house for essential errands, and having nothing better to do but spend hours on Tik Tok at a time. 

I’m beyond ready for corona time to be over, but there are a few things that I’ve learned in this time of quarantine that I actually want to bring back into real life. 

I can’t prepare for every situation, and that’s okay.

I did not prepare to be quarantined, other than buying some extra toilet paper and fruit cups, but I’m still okay. I may not the happiest I’ve ever been, but I’m still alive, breathing, safe, healthy, and I will absolutely make it through this. As someone who craves control of my life, anxiety often tends to creep in at the sign of uncertainty, especially about events in the future, but the situation I’m in now came totally unexpected and life has continued to go on. I’d like to remember that once the world resumes: sometimes I won’t know what’s coming, and I’ll still make it through. 

Life doesn’t have to be full of “should” dos or “need to” dos. 

With the exception of homework, vaccines, and other necessary things in life, I truly do have a choice in my actions and it’s more than okay for me to do what I actually want to do. I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to please the people around me or doing the things that I feel that I “should” do or “need” to do. In quarantine, there’s nothing that I need to do. If I don’t feel like going for a walk even though it’s a nice day, that’s okay. If I don’t feel like turning into Gordon Ramsay and baking banana bread during my time at home, that’s perfectly fine. If I want to take a nap because I didn’t sleep well the night before, that’s great, even if it doesn’t feel productive at the moment. There will always be other nice days, there will be more time for banana bread, I will feel better after my nap, and I should never feel like I have to pressure myself into doing something because it’s what I feel I “should” be doing, especially if it’s not at all what I want to do. 

The most important relationship I’ll ever have is with myself. 

I’ve heard this statement so many times, but I’ve never understood it as completely as I have these past few weeks with me, myself, and I as a companion for most hours of the day. As someone that focuses heavily on what others think of me (0/10 do not recommend this lifestyle), I often lose myself trying to dodge judgments from others, while compromising the person I actually want to be. I’m ready to go back to real life and be someone that I’d actually want to spend time with and quarantine has been the best practice possible. 

This list may not be lengthy, but if I can remember even one of these lessons in post-quarantine life, I’ll be better for it, not to mention more fulfilled.