Everything I’m Loving as a QuaranTEEN

While the sun shines and flowers bloom outside, staying at home can be lonesome and tedious. The past few weeks have been different- I’ve tried everything I could do at home. From spending endless hours of scrolling on TikTok to adding heaps of clothes to my online shopping cart to binging seasons of TV on Netflix, these were just some ways I wasted time at the start of this quarantine.

I soon realized that this lifestyle was not sustainable, and I NEEDED to change it. As a teenager locked up at home for who knows how long, I present to you a list of products and services that have been keeping me sane- making me a ‘Quarantine Queen’ or a ‘quaranTEEN.’ This list serves as the ultimate self-care every quaranTEEN needs this spring to come out of this quarantine more productive, radiant, and happy than ever. 

• Coloring Books for Adults

This activity is honestly my new favorite way to pass the time, and it is so therapeutic. For someone who doesn’t enjoy traditional meditating, this is the ideal way for me to destress and enter a meditative state. Thanks to coloring, my stress and anxiety levels have reduced significantly. Negative thoughts get replaced by positive ones, and this allows me to unplug from technology, helping reduce my screen time, a real concern in this quarantine! My personal favorite is the Johanna Basford coloring books, and if you are unable to purchase these right now, she offers free printable coloring sheets on her website that are perfect for you! 

• Facemasks

One thing you can do during this quarantine is step up your skincare routine, and you don’t need to buy exorbitantly priced products from Sephora for it. Just before the quarantine took over us, luckily, I visited Lush and was able to stock up on some of my favorite skincare products like this facemask. But, worry not if you did not stock up on Lush, you can make a facemask right in your kitchen! This one has helped me clear my skin, and it only requires four ingredients: 2 tbsp chickpea flour, 1 tbsp of yogurt, 1 tsp of honey, and a dash of turmeric. This concoction is bound to make you glow, but don’t add too much turmeric; it may stain your face!

• Online courses

Many summer internships have been canceled, but there are still many ways that you can build your resume. Coursera has several courses offered from top universities, including Ivy leagues, and this is a great way to improve your skills. There’s a large variety of classes, and if you don’t find something of your liking on Coursera, be sure to check out Udemy. So, instead of binging shows on Netflix all time, this is a great alternative that gives you something valuable.

• Brownies

A staple for anyone who loves baking- but this simple twist helps make the most divine brownies ever! These brownies don’t last in my household for more than two days, and that’s just a simple sign of how good they are. To make these delicious brownies, use any brownie recipe and add in 5-7 swirls of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, chopped up pieces of a Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar, and powder your brownies with Cadbury Drinking Chocolate once fully baked. This chocolate goodness tastes delicious when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

• Workouts

After eating those divine brownies, a workout is due! As someone who finds it hard to look for motivation to work out, surprisingly, it hasn’t been that difficult during the quarantine. This activity is one avenue that can exhaust all the energy within me. My fitness guru, who has been guiding me and whose workouts have been inspiring me, is Chloe Ting. Her website has several workout programs that you can check out based on your needs, and they require no equipment except a yoga mat and a water bottle, perfect for the current situation. Her workouts are simple to follow and very motivating. So hop on a Zoom call with your girls and workout together to get that summer body!  

• Coronavirus
• quarantine