Quarantine is Real...so is going stir crazy
So I had a whole article prepared for this week about how the U.S. health infrastructure was is woefully under developed and how that contributes to long term health risks and promotes the rise of industries that prey on this lack of knowledge available - BUT I figured that would be a bit heavy and redundant with everything that has happened in the past couple days. So instead - here is my guide to surviving quarantine/winter favorites - because we should be self-quarantining but that doesn't mean we still can't try new things and have a great time.
First of all, assuming your work simply went remote and didn't get cancelled all together - don’t let your weekend routine infiltrate your work life. As in, get up when you normally do, put on clothes that aren’t your pajamas and keep the same working hours as you would if you were in an office. This will go miles in helping you stay productive since we don’t know how long this will last.
Even with full time jobs - being forced to stay in still gives us way more time at home than we normally planned on. No going out to bars, restaurants, parties. No GYM. No social commitments like weddings, what the hell are we supposed to do? This is serious. I’m an introvert and I still don’t want to be inside this much, but that’s what’s best for now. Here is how I personally am handling it -
When I do go outside - it is for the following ONLY
Groceries/essentials shopping
Walk or run - by myself near the lake usually
To see a friend or family if needed. But this takes place at my home or theirs - not anywhere else.
But all this time inside doesn’t have to be a bad thing - you can actually get a lot done - probably all the things you've been avoiding...
Potential Activities --
Self care - take longer to do your skincare routine, face masks, manicures, deep conditioning, self tan. Do ALL the things.
Deep clean - tackle that Marie Kondo project you’ve been putting off or wipe down your walls like you’ve been meaning to (this is me talking myself into that…)
Home Improvement - hang up those pictures, rearrange that bookshelf, or install that shoe rack.
DIY - I’m not big on DIY but there’s a couple projects I have saved, and this is the perfect time to actually try them out.
Be creative! Paint, write, color, play music, cook new recipes!
Connect with friends and family abroad. You might not make a point of connecting with them normally but with all this extra time - why not?
Now for my winter favorites - try some of them out on your quarantine sentence!
Wellness
Perfect Bars - I am late to the game on these, but these protein bars are SO GOOD. My personal favorite flavor is the peanut butter chocolate chip. The ingredients list contains all recognizable foods - but this does mean that they need to be kept refrigerated. Kinda defeats the purpose of having something to take on the go with you, but since none of us are going anywhere, they're perfect. They have a great combo of healthy fats, protein, and some sweetness.
Running shoes - The weather is getting nicer, which means I am running outside more (running outside is actually pretty safe since it’s a solo activity). Recently, I got some New Balance 880’s v10 and they are beautiful and perfect for the kind of mileage I do, which is between 10-15 miles per week so nothing too serious
Beauty/Skincare
HanSkin Hyaluron Skin Essence - UGH this stuff is so nice. I use it directly after toner and it has made such a difference in the elasticity of my skin. I
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow (Copper) - every time the sun comes out, I drift towards this beautiful bronzy/coppery eye shadow stick. Goes on super pigmented and doesn’t crease or budge. It’s beautiful and they have so many colors. I personally have five different ones, this one just happens to be my favorite.
Herbivore Blue Tansy Mask - This is a resurfacing mask that I believe qualifies as a dupe for many others as it comes in at a lower price point than other brands. It drastically improves the texture and coloring of the skin
Quarantine tip - I also love the Laniege Sleeping Water Mask, and the Origins Charcoal mask so try those too!
Home
Frother - this little guy is incredible! I had been missing cappuccinos but had no way to froth milk. I found this on amazon and it is so effective. Literally takes seconds to froth some milk up for my espresso and reviews mention its amazing at stirring soups, smoothies, and protein shakes as well!
Bowls (Anthropologie) - I usually buy all my dinner ware from IKEA but I wanted something that had the surface area of a plate, but the containment ability of a bowl when I came across these at Anthrolopogie. They’re the perfect in between for me to plate salads or stews. They’re also a nice size to help me with portion control.
Fashion
Adidas - Superstar Bold shoes in white. I had some Adidas superstars originals, but these are chunkier and have some detailing that makes them a slightly bolder choice. Perfect for someone like me who can’t completely commit to the ugly sneaker trend, but wanted a little more of that edge to my wardrobe.
Media - what we'll all really be doing on quarantine...
Haikyuu (TV Show - Netflix/CrunchyRoll) - This is an anime about a high school boys volleyball team. I swear it is way better than it sounds. The characters are adorable, and even though it’s just about volleyball, the show somehow finds a way to get you really invested in all the different matches the team participates in. It’s good wholesome fun.
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Book) - By Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book is so delicious. It’s fiction that takes place in the golden age of hollywood and centers around the potential writing of a biography about Evelyn Hugo. Evelyn is rich, glamorous, and married 7 times - she’s getting old and decides to share her story for the first time with the public. I had to stop myself multiple times during this book to remind myself that Evelyn was not a real person and this book is one of those that makes you keep turning pages so fast that you wish you had savored it just a tiny bit more.
Sex Education (TV Show - Netflix) - Season 2 just came out a little bit ago and it is every bit as good as the first season. The show definitely overplays how much sex high schoolers are having, but what’s great about it is that it doesn’t shy away from any sex topics that school sex education definitely does - like masturbation, vaginismus, and same sex relationships. And it does it all with super sharp humor and wit.
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV Show - Amazon Prime) - if you haven’t been watching this one, you just gotta get on it. The third season came out at the end of December and is still on a winning streak. The set design and costuming are incredible - topped maybe only by the lighting fast writing. Do not miss this one.
Little Women (Movie) - I was surprised how much I liked this movie. I have found previous iterations of Little Women kind of dry and boring - but this one was lively and endearing. I liked the timeline switches the director Greta Gerwig implemented, and the acting was sublime. It’s rare a movie makes me both laugh and cry in equal earnestness but this one did so I had to give it a shoutout.
This is the most serious thing I've ever faced as an adult so far and I'm sure the same is true for many others. This is a concept I'd only ever thought I'd experience in history books, but this is real, and it's serious. However - the lucky thing is that it's not the actual zombie apocalypse so we don't have to run around like chickens with our heads cut off. Buy your groceries as normal. If you have anxiety, buy double of certain things, but no need to clean the store out of toilet paper. Wash your hands, and stay inside as much as you possibly can. Every little bit helps and we will get through this.
On the bright side, it's times like these that can bring out the best in people. I love seeing posts about supporting small businesses through this time, and supporting asian restaurants who are suffering from racism. Some people really show up in times like this and that part is always amazing to experience.
Would rather be quarantined here at this amazing airbnb in Portugal