COVID 19 Necessities

Ellie Maranda, Editor

The first thing I could never survive social distancing without is my friends. Despite the fact that I can’t see them in person, they’re still as important in my life as ever. We text all the time, constantly Snapchat, send each other funny TikToks, Facetime for hours, watch Netflix together, and more. We’ve even gotten together at parks and sat in our cars at least six feet away from each other just to be able to hang out while still obeying social distancing. Anytime I’m feeling down, they’re there to remind me everything will be alright. When I’m bored, I can always count on them to be there to make me laugh. When this quarantine feels like it’s lasted for years and I get tired of staying inside all day long, I’m reminded of how happy I’ll be when I can finally see my friends again. They distract me from the uncertainty and craziness in the world right now, and remind me that we can always make the best out of any bad situation. 

Another social distancing necessity is good food. As someone who tends to not set aside time to eat good, healthy meals during normal life, quarantine has been a great opportunity for me to improve my diet, especially since I’m a vegetarian. I’ve been loving avocado toast for breakfasts. Pasta has always been my favorite food, so there has been no shortage of it during quarantine. Smoothie bowls, especially with fruit on top, have been a staple snack recently. I’ve been trying new kinds of veggie burgers and meat substitutes, as well. While I’ve been trying to focus on eating healthier and cutting out dairy when I can, we all need comfort food sometimes. I’ve been really enjoying baking to pass the time, especially brownies. Despite the fact that Whitey’s is closed, so I haven’t been able to enjoy ice cream while I work, I’ve been able to get my favorite flavors in grocery stores. In addition to food, I’ve needed lots of caffeine to keep myself motivated. My coffee consumption has only increased during social distancing, and I’ve started to really appreciate matcha lattes as well. I don’t typically like to cook or make my own coffee, but social distancing has given me an excuse to try out new recipes or drinks. 

While it’s important to stay productive during quarantine, it’s also a great time to enjoy movies, TV shows, books, or music. I don’t think I’ve ever used my AirPods more than I have in the past month. I’ve been playing music constantly, whether in the background while I do my homework or to help me relax before bed. I’ve been catching up on new albums and even revisiting older ones. My mood overall has been a lot better since I’ve started listening to a lot more music, especially if it’s by Harry Styles. In addition to music, I’ve been reading a few books, like Becoming by Michelle Obama, and ordering more online. Slowly but surely, my “To Read” list is getting smaller. Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube have been useful during this quarantine, too. Whether I’m rewatching Glee, DIY videos on YouTube, or a rom-com on Netflix, my boredom is being cured one binge-watch at a time. It’s basic, but I’d be lost without media like music or pastimes like reading.