The mandatory rest can be healing

While I just completed my 14-day quarantine, I decided to reflect on all of the positives of being cooped up in my dorm and house for two weeks. And though many may think quarantine is a horrible thing, you can really learn a lot about yourself. 

While in quarantine, I was able to complete so many tasks that needed to get done that I didn’t have the time to do before because I was too busy paying attention to all of the things around me. 

Honestly, if you are in quarantine and are feeling depressed, it is totally understandable. Therefore, I decided to complete a list of positives, or things that really matter, and you should take time to focus on this while in quarantine. 

Exercise, whether it is going for a walk, running on the treadmill at home or doing yoga in your dorm room are all activities beneficial for your mental health. Just because you are stuck in quarantine doesn’t mean you can’t distance yourself from people while going on a walk outside, just make sure you bring a mask with. Your mood will be so much better if you get steps and fresh air in your body. 

Read a book… or two. To me, reading is so therapeutic, and I would have never had time for it if I wasn’t in quarantine. A book I recently read was Love Does, by Bob Goff, he is an amazing author and this book could be life-changing to you. Being in quarantine made me realize that I love reading and being able to sit down and read a chapter or two a day makes my soul happy. 

Get ahead or catch up on homework. Previous to quarantine there were so many distractions around you. So many distractions that sounded more fun than homework or studying for that upcoming test. Now is your time to catch up or get ahead on all of the homework that needs to get done. This is your perfect excuse to sit down and do some work. 

FaceTime a friend. When I was in quarantine, I would get sad when I didn’t have someone to talk to. Therefore, I made it a goal each day to FaceTime at least one friend or family member. This was super beneficial to me and I got to catch up with those I haven’t talked to in a while. 

Reflect on your thoughts. Before quarantine, I am sure you were too busy to just sit down and relax. Maybe start a new hobby of a gratitude journal, start doing yoga or even meditate. An app I currently use right now is Beachbody, there are so many good workouts on this app. You could also check out your app store and see what other options are available. Some of these options may be free as well. These few things are so good for your mental health. 

Try something new, I am sure there was some fun skill or hobby you wanted to take up for a while. Now is your chance to perfect or learn it. You only live once, what are you waiting for? Go start that new hobby today. 

Get your Christmas shopping done online. The world we live in today makes Christmas shopping for friends and family so much easier. Make a list of all of the people you would like to get gifts for and then start adding items to your cart!

You can also shop at local businesses within the Fargo area online, one of my favorites is Kindred People. Or maybe check out the Scheels website and buy all of your family members’ Bison gear like I did. By getting this done now, you will have so much more time while out of quarantine to hang out with friends and family. 

Catch up on sleep. By this time in the semester, I am sure you are sleep deprived. If you are reading this and need a hint to take a nap here it is: go take a nap. Your body and mind need it. By catching up on sleep now, you will be all ready to go when your quarantine is over.

Even though these are just a few positives of quarantine, there are always more to add to the list. When I was in quarantine, I was sad because I did not want to be cooped up in my dorm. Then after a while, I decided it was time to catch up on the things that needed the most attention.

If you are in quarantine right now, it gets better. Think of all the positive things you could be doing to better yourself. Spend time to learn new things about yourself. Those 14 days go by fast, enjoy them if you can.