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How to make the most out of your quarantine in 8 easy steps

CMS 120A capstone project

Sun, Apr 26th 2020 02:15 pm

By Olivia Cinquino

Special to Niagara Frontier Publications

COVID-19 is a serious issue that is affecting everyone worldwide. This has left countries and states on lockdown or quarantine. As we know. this means we should not leave our homes or see anyone outside of our homes.

A wide variety of people have been affected. Big businesses, local business, teachers, athletes – you name it, they are definitely feeling the repercussions of this pandemic.

With all this new time on our hands, we might as well use it to our advantage! Instead of seeing this pandemic as a curse we can see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Here is a list of eight ways to make the most out of your quarantine:

STAY HOME

The most important thing you can do right now is to stay home. Every state has a differing quarantine policy, but no matter what they all agree that staying home is the most important thing to do right now.

If you must leave your home, be sure to take the following precautions: wear a mask, social distance when needed, make sure to wash your hands or sanitize after going in public or encountering others.

DON’T OVER-SHOP

We all need food to fill our homes, but that does not mean we have purchase excessive amounts of goods.

Right now, especially, we do not need to be making frequent grocery trips. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration suggests one you should “Buy just 1 to 2 weeks’ worth of groceries at a time. Buying more than you need can create unnecessary demand and temporary shortages.”

Keep in mind you and your family are not the only ones who need food. Try to ration your shopping list, and save enough for others, also.

PICK UP A NEW HOBBY

Running out of things to do? Finding yourself bored all day? Well, now’s the perfect time to try and pick up a new hobby.

Having hobbies is a great way to kill some time while enjoying yourself. It can also be relaxing and helps you express emotion.

Some common hobbies you may be interested in are reading a good book, taking photos, painting, drawing, gardening and cooking. If these don’t entice you, take a look at a list of 50 low-cost hobbies from LifeHack’s website.

You may not be good at everything you try your hand at, but you might as well use this time to find things you love to do!

EXERCISE

It is tempting to stay in bed all day during this quarantine, but getting up and being active would do us all some good. Just because all the gyms are closed does not mean you cannot exercise.

Many families have made it a routine to go on multiple walks per day. If leaving your home isn’t up your alley, here’s the perfect workout for you!

College athletes are also being affected by this pandemic.

Sophia Roy, a freshman at Ithaca College on the track team, explains that “training from home can be difficult because the tracks are closed, and the weather has been so difficult lately.”

But, thankfully, she can connect with her teammates and stay motivated to exercise and prepare for her next season.

Athlete Maxana Grubb currently attends Amherst Central High School as a senior and has committed to Virginia Tech to continue her track career. Maxana’s senior year and track season, like many other high school and college students, has been cut short because of this pandemic. She explains how everything has taken such a dramatic turn and her training has been adjusted. She says, “Typically around this time of the year I would be in track season and have more focus on track workouts. But this pandemic has prohibited me from using the track. Now I run in fields.”

Maybe your sport has also been canceled, but that does not have to stop you from training and getting better at it.

Whatever you decide to do, whether it be walking with family or walking your dog, try to stay active and healthy rather that cooped up at home.

CALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Of course, we are all very anxious to see our friends and family, maybe even coworkers. Instead of leaving our homes, we can easily connect through the internet.

Many of us have some form of technology, whether it be a phone, desktop or laptop, so why not use these devices to our advantage!

The Zoom app is becoming wildly popular during this time. On its website, the company states, “This site is here to help you most effectively use Zoom as we all navigate the coronavirus pandemic.”

With this app, one can easily connect with anyone through video and audio, just like a FaceTime call. According to the, website Zoom strives to make communication frictionless, while delivering happiness.

Since most of the population is now working from home, businesses have been using zoom to stay in touch with their employers by conducting meetings online.

Joy Testa-Cinquino, deputy director of the communications department at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, explains, “Zoom makes it easy to communicate with my coworkers so we can continue to do our work. Zoom allows us to stay in the loop about projects and upcoming events.”

Many colleges and high schools are also using this app. With the new shift to remote learning, apps like Zoom are extremely helpful for students and their teachers to connect like they are in a classroom.

START A NEW SERIES

Now is the perfect time to binge some new shows and movies. So why not take advantage of your streaming systems like Netflix Hulu, HBO and YouTube?

Some of this writer’s personal favorite shows available on Netflix include:

√ “Criminal Minds,” a show that follows an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminals anticipating their next moves before they strike again;

√ “Elite,” a series focused on three pupils from impoverished backgrounds who joined Las Encinas, a school attended by the children of the privileged and wealthy only for a murder to take place;

√ And “You,” a show that follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager in New York, who meets Guinevere Beck, an aspiring writer, with whom he becomes immediately infatuated. To feed his obsession, he soon turns to social media and technology to track her presence and eliminate any possible obstacles that stand in the way of their romance.

If you’re still not intrigued, take a look at Rotten Tomatoes’ list of “The 153 Best Netflix series and shows to watch right now”!

MAKE A ROUTINE

With all your new free time, you might as well get into a new routine. You can start by writing out what you must do in a day like work, school, grocery shopping, etc. ... Make sure to save some free time, too: With all your new hobbies and shows to watch, you might need it!

RECONNECT WITH YOURSELF

With everyone’s life today it is easy to almost lose yourself. With work, school and other responsibilities, we can forget to have time with ourselves.

One really great way to find yourself or reconnect with who you are is to meditate. Meditation also helps with stress, anxiety and many other issues.

Mayo Clinic states, “Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health.”

Another tip is to make sure you save time for yourself. Do not get caught up in everyone else’s life and leave yours behind.

Taking these eight tips into consideration will hopefully make you and your families quarantine a little bit better.

During times like these, it is good to stay positive and distract yourself from all the negative events happening around us. But remember the best ways to stay safe during this time is to practice social distancing, wash your hands and wear protective gear like a mask and gloves while in public spaces.

 

 

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Niagara Frontier Publications works with the Niagara University communication studies department to publish the capstone work of students in CMS 120A-B.

These articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of NFP, NU or the communication studies department. Moreover, efforts have been made to encourage the proper use of sources, and discourage anything that would constitute plagiarism.

Comments or concerns can be sent to the NFP editorial department, care of the managing editor.

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