5 Things Keeping Me Sane in Quarantine

This morning I find myself stuck between a rock and hard place (and starting a blog with a cliche, so you can tell that writing has been a bit of a chore these days). I know I should keep up my streak of journaling (almost) every day but my brain, atrophied from two weeks without classes or work, says “DOOMSCROLL.” Sometimes this is fine - there are days in quarantine when the discourse is not that terrible or boring, even. But between that devastating New York Times cover and the gross incompetence of multiple national governments, the current news cycle is rough. 

So I’m satisfying my need to write something and my brain’s desire to Be Online by blogging. Which is how all good posts start, right? 

Today marks 72 days of “quarantining” at my parents’ house in the suburbs. I put “quarantine” in quotes because a true quarantine would mean that I haven’t left the house at all in that amount of time and that’s far from the truth. I’m incredibly lucky in that I'm currently living somewhere where I can safely get outside and go for a walk every day. I’ve also been leaving the neighborhood a lot more this month, throwing on a mask and keeping my distance as I run errands for my family or indulge in the occasional Starbucks curbside pickup just to feel like something is “normal.” 

I really can’t complain about all this. It’s a huge interruption to my life but I am comfortable, not completely alone and usually have something to do. These are blessings.

But I would be lying my face off if I said this hasn’t taken a toll on my mental health. I miss my friends, I miss my independence, I miss my apartment and I miss New York City. I fear that this interruption will throw my entire life off course. I am doing all the things you’re supposed to do to keep the anxiety at bay but it's still there! What the hell!!!

And so I escape into Things, as all good citizens living under late capitalism must. Here are just a few of the Things that are keeping me sane and entertained as I enter month three of lockdown. 

Image via Channel 4.

Historical Fiction 

The thought of watching or reading something that takes place in contemporary times feels a bit cruel to me right now. I can’t watch something set in the Before Times where a bunch of friends go to a bar or a club without seething with both jealousy and grief. So I’m sticking with stories set in a time, place or world that is completely unfamiliar to me because that’s what escapism is all about. Plus, history can teach us a lot about what we’re going through right now. 

I recently finished City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert which I absolutely loved. The book is a love letter to New York City set on the eve of America’s involvement in World War II and explores women’s sexuality, show business and life during an international crisis. I found so many parallels in the book to our current situation and adored the main character of Vivian, Patron Saint of Women Doing Their Own Thing. While a little long, it’s an excellent summer read. 

I also recently started watching Derry Girls on Netflix and while I’m only a few episodes in, I’m already a fan. The show follows a group of girls at a Catholic school in Derry, Northern Island during The Troubles. If you know anything about that time, that might sound incredibly bleak, but the show finds so much humor in the banality of life during a crisis. While I’m not living through sectarian violence, I find a lot of that relatable right now. I’m sure there will be a bunch of pandemic teen shows popping up on Netflix in five years time. 

Ok, my setup looks a lot messier than this but you get the idea. Photo by Mateusz Dach from Pexels.

A Second Monitor

I am fully aware that There’s People Dying, Kim but going from working in an office with a dual-screen desktop setup to working on a 13 inch laptop when quarantine started was rough. My dad suggested getting a monitor to plug into my laptop and naturally, I resisted at first, thinking I wouldn’t be here that long. 72 days into quarantine, it’s my favorite thing. It’s great for online classes; I can keep Zoom open on my laptop while taking notes on my second monitor. Add in a wireless keyboard and mouse and my tiny bedroom desk feels like a real office. 

Oh, to be this aesthetically pleasing. Photo by Retha Ferguson from Pexels.

Knitting

It has been impossible for me to sit down and watch TV or a movie or listen to a podcast without simultaneously doomscrolling or swiping through Tinder or online shopping or doing something else on my phone that will probably not be great for my mental health. Like many anxious ADHD kids, I need to do something with my hands. This is what brought me to knitting twenty years ago and what keeps me going now. 

Since quarantine started I’ve made about seven different projects, just trying to use up the scraps of yarn in my room left over from college. Most of these have just been exercises to get me back in the swing of things, but right now I’m working on my first afghan blanket and I’m very excited about it. I’m even more excited about the fact that many craft stores like Michaels and Jo-Ann’s offer curbside pickup so I can easily restock on yarn when I need it. And does it make sense to knit a thick, wooly blanket at the beginning of summer? Not really, but that’s quarantine, baby! 

The Aerie Real Happy Wireless bra does in fact make me real happy.

Wireless Bras

As someone with what Rachel Bloom termed “Heavy Boobs,” it’s taken me a while to hop on the bralette trend. I am not someone who can really get away with throwing on a tiny nipple covering and going about their daily lives. I need a little more support than that. But wires are frankly unnecessary when you see the same two people every day and I’ve managed to find a few wireless bras and bralettes that have me questioning my entire wardrobe. I recently gave the True & Co. True Body bra a try and it has absolutely changed my life. It’s super comfy, supportive enough to wear in public and cute as hell. I will also always have love for Aerie - their Real Happy Wireless Bra has gotten a lot of wear in the last few weeks. 

Yes, I look like the Invisible Woman but I'm protecting myself and others! Wear a mask!

Masks

Of course, the hottest quarantine accessory is a face covering. Buy a bunch online from indie retailers! Make one yourself! Build an entire outfit around it! Whatever you do, it is essential that you wear one in public while maintaining social distance. Masks protect you, your loved ones and the public at large and they’re going to be a big part of our daily lives for a while. Mask up and make it fashion (and remember to put your nose AND mouth under the mask, ya dinguses). 

So team, what’s keeping you sane these days? What are some of the little things that get you out of bed in the morning? Share some of your quarantine saviors in the comments! 

And just remember, there’s only four more sleeps til Chromatica.