What Quarantine Has Taught Me So Far

In trying times like these, it’s so easy to be negative, and we have all the right to be negative. What’s happening is scary, and it seems as if there is no end in sight, so being angry, upset, uneased, or any other negative emotion is completely valid. Although I am bored in my home and upset I cannot go back to school, as I’m sure you are too, I have found a new way to appreciate everything that I do have at home. 

Being locked in my home has meant a lot more time in my bedroom. When I got home from school I cleaned it out entirely. No junk stuck in corners, no clothes I did not want, no jewelry laying all over my dresser. After a few days of a bedroom deep-cleanse, I realized just how much I loved my bedroom, and how grateful I was to have it. Whether it be the cozy string lights I have all around the ceiling or the millions of pictures I have hanging around the walls, I realized how comfortable my room is. Sometimes I don’t even mind being stuck inside all day because my bedroom puts me in a good mood. While being stuck in the house, if you have the luxury of having a space to call your own, my advice is to clean it out, make it neat, and you’ll appreciate it that much more. It doesn’t have to be your bedroom, but any room that will lighten your mood and make you appreciate your time home.

As much as I am missing my friends just like everyone else, I also realized how lucky I am to have built-in friends that live with me. My sisters are twins, both 17 years old, and the three of us have kept each other entertained for the majority of quarantine. Being stuck inside with them has made me realize how lucky I am to have two younger sisters who I get along with and can relate to so well. We have been baking together (way too much), helping each other with school work, selling clothes on our Depop, and even bleaching sweatpants and sweatshirts together, as you’ve probably seen all over Tik Tok. Being home with them now made me realize just how much quality time I missed with them while I was at school, and I actually am lucky to have siblings so close to my age who I get along with so well.

Lastly, this is the best time to take time for yourself. Who knows when we’re going to be stuck insides our homes again. I definitely am working on bettering myself and appreciating the things around me more. Get on a schedule, set an alarm, don’t sleep the day away. Something I’ve been doing that I feel I’m not usually able to do is make myself a nice breakfast. Usually, and I know I am not the only one, breakfast is quick and on the go. Now, with all of this time, we can take the time to make something nice for every meal. Even if it means just sitting down and relaxing for a meal, that’s a positive, as I’m sure no one is in a rush to go anywhere. Another thing, which I talked about in my last article, is that I have been trying to work out every day. Even if its just a ten-minute youtube video, with all this time that’s nothing. It’s great to not have to plan when I can squeeze the gym into my day and instead work-out when I feel like it. 

There are so many ways to better yourself and appreciate the things around you during this time of self-isolation. As much as we miss school, our friends, and our normal routines, this pandemic is really affecting many people in the worst way, and it is important not to take for granted what you have right in front of you. If you are fortunate enough to be getting through this pandemic in a home surrounded by family in this pandemic, it is important to be grateful. If you are still working, I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. 

• appreciation
• grateful
• quarantine
• self-care
• self-isolation
• social distance