By Gabrielle Roye/El Inde
This moment in our lives seems scary — and that’s because it is.
In my past month of isolation, I wake up and see I have more notifications on my phone than normal. My mom and I have been calling one another multiple times a day, every day, talking about nonsense to take our mind off of things. No one in my life has openly admitted to me that they’re lonely during this self-isolation period, and I have not admitted it to anyone myself, but I know that people in my life are feeling it, too. This is because we are all doing the same thing and practicing the same social manners. We’re reaching out to people more, we’re keeping ourselves occupied, and we’re engaging in conversations that are more specific and in-depth. It’s a hard time to be alive right now.
If you are feeling lonely, one of the things that you can do is to change up your routine every day. I find that I am waking up at different times and I think that this is almost a good thing. This way you don’t feel stuck in the same day, every day, which is a big fear of mine. Sometimes I will go for walks around the University of Arizona campus, and other times I’ll go rollerblading in my apartment parking garage.
With my three roommates, we have had a lot of wine and an endless amount of the game Clue. They keep me sane through our little spontaneous meetings, where we all stand around the island in our kitchen and talk about things. I’ve noticed that when we all meet up just by chance when we’re going to get a snack at the same time for example, this is when we have the longest and the best conversations.
Social distancing can be extremely hard on the mind and body, so make it better by not being too hard on yourself. The streets are quieter, the grocery stores are scary, and suddenly reality TV is entertaining. But, try to remember to keep yourself happy and healthy. Though we do not know how long this virus outbreak may last, we know that there will be better days than this.
People will go to football and baseball games again; they’ll go see their favorite artists in concert and will attend wedding ceremonies and birthdays. This will happen again someday, so while you wait, remember to do your part to flatten the curve. You might not think that you are making a difference, but you are. This might be the only chance in your life when you have the power to change the world by staying home and watching TV, so make the best out of what you have and treat people with kindness. We could all use it.