100 Days of Quarantine

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It has been 114 days since my job decided to start the work from home order because of Covid-19. That means already one-third of this year has been dedicated to the Coronavirus pandemic. I've been on all parts of the spectrum when it comes to handling the quarantine, whether it be thriving and enjoying my time at home or feeling lonely and depressed. Quarantine has had its ups and downs, but I'm finally starting to learn how to deal with this new normal.

The Downsides of Quarantine

It seems like forever ago that I was partying with my friends at the Gaylord Hotel's annual New Year's party. We all thought 2020 was going to be the best year yet, and we were starting it off with a bang. I got to celebrate a couple of birthdays, including my own, found my wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses, and started to check things off the wedding prep list.

Then came March and what looked like a great year in the making turned into a giant downer. I've always enjoyed working from home, but after a couple of weeks, I was starting to get bored and less motivated. I know I'm lucky to have a job that gives us the option to stay at home, but staying in the same place every day was starting to get to me. I was also beginning to feel increasingly lonely. Even though my friends and I set up zoom calls and online game nights, it wasn't the same as seeing people in person. It also didn't help that my fiancé just started his new job right as quarantine began, which involves shift work. Every month he would switch between the day shift and the night shift, and during the first month of quarantine, he was starting on the night shift. He was working from 6 pm - 6 am and then slept for most of the day while I was up. So I was spending many evenings alone right when everything started.

Another downside to quarantine was my eating habits. I did not have the best eating routine at the beginning of the quarantine. I've never been a big breakfast person, but when I would go into the office for work, I would occasionally grab a donut or some eggs if I was early enough. If I didn't get breakfast, I always took an early lunch right around 11:30. Once we moved to work from home, I still wasn't eating breakfast, and I also found it harder to leave my computer at my usual lunchtime. Often I would go until 1 or 2 pm without eating. Eventually, it got to the point where I woke up with hunger headaches, couldn't get myself to eat, and ultimately that caused me to lose almost 10 pounds. Once I stepped back and took notice of how my body was reacting to my "non-eating" habits, I made sure to try and get into a more stable routine. I've started to gain some weight back but still occasionally find myself going too long without eating.

And of course, the worst part about having the Coronavirus pandemic take over this year is dealing with my wedding planned for this year. Like most people, I didn't think that corona was going to take over the whole year, but with cases increasing again in the US, it is doubtful that my fiancé and I will be having the wedding we planned. Even though I have accepted that I won't be having the wedding I expected, I still find myself mourning my bridal experience with a good cry.

So clearly, this pandemic has been hard on me as I'm sure it has been on everyone, but recently I have started to get used to this new normal and am trying to focus on this that I can do instead of continuing to struggle with things I can't.

Getting Comfortable With the New Normal

One of the biggest positives that have happened during quartine was that my fiancé and I moved to a new apartment. We were super concerned about moving during the pandemic but made it work and are now living in a more young-professional area with many restaurants, shops, and bars within walking distance. Whenever it's safe to dine out again, we will surely be trying out all the new spots near us. The many restaurants and fast food places do make great options for easy pickup for the time being.

Since moving, I have noticed myself in a better mood and gaining back motivation when it comes to working. I started to get back into activities I stopped doing, such as reading and playing video games instead of just watching Netflix. I even finally got back into writing, which I continuously fall in and out of.

While I'm still anxious over not knowing when all this will end, I have tried my best to focus on myself and have tried to continue to enjoy my time nonetheless. I know that there are many more days for me in this stay at home situation, so I will continue to try to make the best of it. I hope the next 100 days are better than the first ones and that we can soon go back to a somewhat pre-pandemic life.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone stays safe and please wear your masks!

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Being a Covid Bride

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From Broke College Kid to Well-Managed Adult