This time of seclusion in quarantine has been hard on everyone. The joke “check on your extroverted friends during quarantine because they are not ok” is so true. I am probably one of the most extroverted people you will ever meet. I thrive on being around people and being social. This time as been very eye-opening for me. I have had to learn to be ok with being with myself. I have roommates and I have coworkers to be around but I can still feel alone. I have had at least 3 breakdowns where I have cried and just felt so alone. I moved to a brand new city during a pandemic in a city-wide shutdown. Not the easiest time to make friends.
This time has made me learn to embrace this newfound “ME” time. Here are some things I’ve done to try to help.
Get Outside:
Being outside is not canceled. San Francisco has amazing green space. I got a picnic blanket on amazon and have been checking out all the parks on my days off. I bring Cooper (my dog), wine/food, and just try to relax. I’ll lay there and close my eyes or people watch. I have never been someone that would find this enjoyable. But there is something peaceful about doing nothing I’ve discovered. Most towns have some kind of green space. A simple google search or Alltrails would be a good place to start your search. Fresh air is good for the soul. Sometimes going outside can clear your mind and cheer you up. I have spent more time outside during quarantine than ever before.
Hit the books:
If you have been thinking about advancing your career, this is an excellent time to look into it. Social events may be canceled, but there are hundreds of online classes. There is no reason to say you don’t have time now. If you have been thinking about advancing your career, this is the time to look into it. I have been working on getting my BSN for over 5 years. I’ve always found a reason to put school on hold. I kept telling myself, “I don’t have the money” or “I’m too busy” but now neither of these are true anymore.
Get a Green Thumb:
Everyone is starting to have a new hobby during COVID. The house I’m renting has a large backyard for San Francisco and my landlord was fine with my using the space. I started learning about plants by downloading the MasterClass App and taking a class on gardening. Gardening has become my new hobby. Warning: Gardening can get expensive. If you don’t have a lot of money to work with or space, try just growing one planter box. Herbs don’t require a lot of space and are easy to grow. My garden gives me something to do every morning. My tomatoes are actually starting to grow. This makes me realize all the hard work I did was worth it.
In the end, remember that you are not the only person feeling this way. This is a difficult time for everyone. Try to use this time to better yourself. Focus on all the wonderful things you can do rather than dwelling on what closed. Take the time for yourself and allow yourself to enjoy things you normally wouldn’t have time for. Things are slowly being to open back up but for now, we have to embrace the new normal.
