Social distancing….what began as a new term to many of us, has now become our new normal.

In this blog post, I’m going to share a little bit about my experience social distancing during COVID-19, and a few words of encouragement for all of us as we move through 2020.

When the pandemic first hit in the US around March, and lock downs began to happen, I was initially a lot calmer than others. I think was in part because I had just gotten back from the trip of a lifetime, with my best friends in San Francisco and we had just finished our senior thesis collections in fashion design school. In other words, I was mentally, physically and socially exhausted.

Hunkering down in my apartment, felt like hitting pause on my chaotic life, and the introvert in me, was (I’ll be honest) loving it at first.

Being around people, and being in social situations have always made me anxious and tired. But I quickly became worried that I might’ve contracted the virus without knowing it while flying back from San Francisco, and I immediately lost any ounce of desire to be around family, co workers and especially, elders at church.

Some people rolled their eyes at me, as I’ve taken quarantine very seriously. During this time, I’ve developed a huge love for cooking, and watching Riverdale on Netflix. I started to plan out extensive meal plans: planning out exactly what I would eat for the next month, budgeting what it would cost, and only taking one masked trip to the grocery store to get everything.

I’ve grown very accustom to my nights staying in, cooking chicken and dumplings and watching Riverdale while working on my computer. I’ve felt blessed to have a roof over my head, and I don’t look at it as ‘locked in at home’ but rather, ‘safer at home’.

As the months grow warmer, my anxiety increases. I understand the economic repercussions of not reopening businesses, but my heart still aches for all people who will consequently contract the virus because of it. I’m watching my more extroverted friends and family members grow antsy, and I just have to remind myself that I’m wired differently….I’d stay inside 6.5/7 days of the week just by choice even before the pandemic hit. It’s okay if people are wanting to get back to work, back to school, and back outside.

I do not blame you. This is not normal.

Recently, I’ve even had days where I’ve grown antsy, and actually missed human interaction. I’ve had really low days, where all I can do is sit on the couch and cry. As time goes on, this hasn’t been consistently getting easier. There is not one way to feel during all of this.

Words of Encouragement

My words of encouragement for you….do what feels comfortable for you, and your family. There are so many things to do while staying at home to make this time more enjoyable:

-Cook new recipes
-Start a blog or podcast
-Watch a new series on Netflix
-Schedule a Zoom call with friends
-Redecorate your living space
-Invest in a new skincare routine
-Start an online shop
-Deep clean your house

Even when things start to open back up, remember that you can continue to social distance if that’s what you want to do. You don’t have to give hugs to anyone. Do what feels right to you, and this too shall pass.