It’s one thing to live with a chaotic family when there isn’t a pandemic happening, but it’s a completely different ballgame when you’re stuck with them during the quarantine. Especially when all of your family members are working from home. Yikes, a house full of people needing a silent workplace? Impossible. Unless you plan on doing your homework at four in the morning, that is. As someone who has four brothers and divorced parents, I can assure you, it’s not a walk in the park. Luckily, I have a few tips and ideas to survive quarantine with your family and make it more exciting. Â
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Completely isolating yourself in your room may sound like the way to go, but you’ll get tired of it after a while. If you want to really enjoy your time stuck at home, you may have to venture into the wild. The rest of the house. It’s time to get out of your bed, as comfortable as it may be, and actually spend time with your family. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth a shot. These people are the only ones you have right now, so at least pretend they’re your friends.
- Family Movie Night
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Not too complicated, right? Well… Your brother wants to watch a horror movie, your Mom wants to watch The Notebook for the 58th time, your sister wants to watch a dumb rom-com with ex-Disney stars, and your Dad wants to watch an action movie; now there’s a problem. I get it, but once you all finish relentlessly arguing about which movie to watch and decide on a scary, action-packed love story with at least one washed up Disney star in it, it could be fun. Make some popcorn and relax.
- Themed Dinners/Nights
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I had originally seen this idea from a user named “caitcanoe” on TikTok. Her little brother named Derek has been putting together themed family dinners. One of the TikTok videos showed Derek in a hilarious Hooters costume making wings for his family, and in another video, he dresses up as a Hibachi chef, of course, with a hibachi dinner to go along with the get-up. This idea is not only hysterical, but it can be a lot of fun for the whole family. A couple of nights a week, convince your crazy family to get dressed up and put together a fun dinner with you. Don’t forget to make a TikTok about it, though!
- Family Board Games
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You may be thinking: board game? More like bored game! However, some board games are super fun to play with the family. You can learn a lot about your family members through these games, and it can be really fun when everyone starts to get competitive with each other. You may be tempted to rip your sibling’s head off by the end of it, but that’s one of the best parts. Just don’t actually do it, of course. Dust off those old board games from the closet and put on your game face. Show your family who’s boss!
- Spend Time With Your Pet
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If you absolutely do not want to engage in any sort of interaction with your family, steal the family pet and make them your quarantine ally. There’s nothing better than having your furry friend by your side. As they say, animals are better than people. If you have a less furry friend, one with scales or one with wings, give them love too! They’re keeping you from having to deal with your loud and crazy family. Maybe try and teach them how to speak English. If you figure it out, please teach me.
- Learn A Fun Dance
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There are plenty of new dances on TikTok to learn with your family. I promise this is not a sponsorship with TikTok, I just spend way too much time on that app. Anyways, learning a fun dance with a sibling or parent can be exciting and a time-killer. Plus, seeing your mom or dad “throw it back” can be something you’ll never forget. Remember, these are your friends right now, enjoy your time with them.
- Go On A Family Walk
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But be careful, and stay away from other people who may be outside as well. It’s really important to connect yourself with the outside world during the quarantine. Even though you can’t go to the mall or the beach with friends, you can get some fresh air with your family members. If you have a dog, take them too! Going on a walk with your crazy family may seem like a huge bother, but everyone needs some time outside, so drag them with you if you’re going for a walk. Plus, it could be fun to force your siblings to get off the couch and see the looks of misery on their faces when forced to exercise instead of play video games or scroll on their phones. Misery loves company!
- Discuss When You Need A Quiet Environment
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Even though quarantine gives us a chance to relax at home, us college students still have a lot of responsibilities. Clubs, organizations and of course, classes have been moved online, and this means that we still need to focus to get our work done. It’s not easy finding the motivation to complete work when everyone in the house is going about their day in a loud manner. Discuss with your family members when you have classes and tell them that you need some time where the house isn’t so chaotic. Walls are thinner than they seem, and you can probably hear your little brother screaming when he dies in Fortnite or your sister blasting music in her way-too-long of a shower. They will probably understand, and if not you’ll just have to hide their controllers and speakers in your closet. Problem solved.
Quarantine doesn’t have to be dreaded. It can be a time to relax, connect with your family who might not be in the house otherwise, and it’s a time to invest yourself in learning a new skill or hobby. Even though your family can be hectic, this can be a great time to bring everyone together.