I think everyone now is not only concerned about the virus, but also their mental health being in quarantine for two weeks or even more. These are a few random things you can do individually or with your family:
For people that just can’t deal with their family anymore, here are some individual random things you can do:
- Print out mandala, or something to color in
I’m not kidding this was one of the most relaxing things I’ve done in a while. It doesn’t take much because it’s just you and your colors doing whatever feels right. The fact that there are no rules makes a person have a sense of freedom that they can’t have right now.
- Watch documentaries
I’ve been watching a bunch of documentaries about true crime or anything really. My favorite true crime documentaries that I watched were: Pandemic, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, The Mind of Aron Hernandez, The Final Table, and The Ted Bundy tapes. These are all different genres depending on what you want to watch. There are cooking competitions, true crime, and scientific documentary series. Honestly, these are all worth a try because they are very interesting and entertaining.
- If you have family outside the country talk to them
The whole world at this point is going through the same thing, either government quarantine or self-quarantine. Both of my older brothers live in the US, so we FaceTime frequently to see how they’re doing and they also check up on me. As a family, we try to play online games, such as UNO or any card game. This helps them since they are alone and far away.
- Netflix party
This is an extension of Netflix that allows you to have a movie night with people without them having to be there. I have personally never tried it but people that I know that have said that it’s actually really fun and even more fun when you call the person you are watching the movie with. Although it’s not the same as having a regular movie night, under these circumstances, it also works.
As a Family:
- Cooking competitions
My extended family has a group chat, and since we are all in quarantine, they made up cooking competitions that we can participate in order to not be that bored. For example, the first competition was the family that made the best marraqueta. The whole point is to do something entertaining as a family and to also keep in touch with the extended family.
- Online Classes
My mom and I attended a yoga online class with people from Uruguay. It happened to be very entertaining and got me moving around. I felt productive which also inspired me to attend another class that showed me exercises to work out. You can also do this alone if you want to.
- Puzzles and Boardgames
Build a puzzle with your family. My mom bought a 500 piece puzzle which helped us keep our sanity even though it was very challenging. Half of the puzzle was the sky, which meant it was all blue. It was very frustrating but once you find a piece that matches, it’s one of the best feelings ever. Small things during quarantine actually make you happy. Board Games and cards are also a very good way of entertainment with your family.
Conclusion:
Although you are stuck inside and obviously out of your mind bored, there are many things you can do like read a book or anything else. An example of a VERY random thing I did was cut my hair. I felt that my hair was way too long and unhealthy, and since I couldn’t leave the house, I cut my hair. It ended up looking pretty well. Anyways, find things that entertain you and help you stay mentally healthy and social.
Thank you for attending my ted talk!
