2020 has turned out to be a year of madness so far, with everything from a pandemic to murder hornets to numerous natural disasters, and it seems as though the only common thing throughout the year has been quarantine. While quarantine was mandatory at the beginning of the pandemic, most people have been able to go back to somewhat normal. However, a lot of people have had to be in quarantine since because of possible exposure to the virus. Being stuck in quarantine isn’t a fun thought for anyone and can be really hard on those that are quarantined – especially those that are very social people. Despite that, many people have found ways to stay busy and stay happy despite their isolation.
New Hobbies
Being stuck in the house has left many people with a drastic amount of free time that they hadn’t really had in the past, and people are filling up that free time with new hobbies. For some, it may be along the lines of learning to bake new desserts, to build things, to sew, etc. According to Nathan Bennett, “The YouTube algorithm eventually led me to a lock picking channel, and I picked that up as a hobby – not a criminal activity, to be clear.” Now, if you ever get locked out of your house or apartment, you know who to call!
Spending Time with Family
When in quarantine, you’re usually there with the rest of your family. As we get older, life keeps us busier and busier, to the point that we often don’t get to spend time with our families like we used to when we were kids. Being in a confined space for that long with family might be a recipe for chaos, but it can also be an opportunity to come back and spend quality time together. In Nathan’s case, “I spent a lot more time with my parents and my cats. We ended up breaking out the old Wii. My dad and I had fun playing the Wii like we used to when I was younger.”
Connecting Online
It’s easy to feel alone when you aren’t able to see friends and family like you’re used to. Thankfully, however, technology has come a long way and makes it more convenient for us to connect online. Between Skype and Facetime, we’re still able to see the smiling faces of the people that we love, even if we aren’t able to see them in person. With more time spent online, many people have made new distant friends through games and social media, not to mention the churches that have poured into their online connections with streamed services and larger online presences as a whole.
These are difficult times and it can be easy to get lost in the chaos at times. However, these three things are great steps towards helping us to maintain our sanity.
