Ryan L. Fox
Well it seems like a new state has announced a new ‘stay-at-home’ advisory or lockdown where many people have to stay at home for at least a 2-week period. Although this is to combat the spreading of the COVID-19 virus, it has left many Americans in a state of confusion as well as hardships since they are forced to compromise their normal routines.
But being cooped up inside tends to make people antsy as well as cause some to develop feelings of anxiety and cabin fever. Luckily, there are a few different things one can do in order to combat said anxiety and cabin fever.
Well it seems like a new state has announced a new ‘stay-at-home’ advisory or lockdown where many people have to stay at home for at least a 2-week period. Although this is to combat the spreading of the COVID-19 virus, it has left many Americans in a state of confusion as well as hardships since they are forced to compromise their normal routines.
But being cooped up inside tends to make people antsy as well as cause some to develop feelings of anxiety and cabin fever. Luckily, there are a few different things one can do in order to combat said anxiety and cabin fever.
YOUTUBE
Well it’s kind of obvious what people do with the giant online-video sharing platform. Yes, you can watch video clips, highlight reels, or even episodes and movies on YouTube if you looked hard enough. But surprisingly enough, you can also find tutorial videos on there that can help you perform the simplest tasks (i.e. tying a tie) to performing more intricate (i.e. wood carving, cooking various meals). Not to mention that there are some YouTube channels that people are watching to help them with yoga and performing exercises without the use of a gym.
KEEPING LINES OF COMMUNICATION
It is often said that we humans are a social bunch of creatures and that we need that interaction with others to keep us…well…sane. We normally do that with telephones as the primary source of communication. But nowadays, you can also use computer programs (i.e. Skype) as well as gaming consoles (i.e. PlayStation Network & Xbox Live) to communicate with people over long distances. Also there are some phones that allow you to face time with other people so that not only can you hear their voices but as well as see them physically. This is especially useful for those who are looking to keep in touch with loved ones.
USING STREAMING SERVICES
Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, this is your time to shine. With the trend of many television shows, movies, comedy specials, and documentaries all going onto various streaming services, you can easily kill time by doing some good ol’ binge-watching of a series/documentary (apparently the big thing right now is Tiger King on Netflix). If you do not have any of this services, you can sign-up for the one-time 30-day trial if that is your preference.
VIDEO GAMES
If there was a time to be big into gaming, this is your time. For those who are into multiplayer, the servers are still up and running so you can easily kill some time trying to murk the competition in Fortnite of Call of Duty, cooperate with one another to achieve goals in Division 2 or Nioh 2, or just wanna play some sports games like Madden or NBA2K to fill the void of no sports going on. And if you are the person who likes to do single player mode or prefer single player games (i.e. RPGS, JRPGS), you can put various spins on it to make things more interesting (i.e. speed run through a game, try to beat a game with certain self-imposed conditions).
READING
For those who are not into watching hours upon hours of Netflix or Hulu or into the world of gaming, you could easily pick up a book and delve into the world of literature. You can dedicate certain parts of the day to just reading whatever books, novels, or poetry that is available to you. Should you find yourself without books to read, you could make the trek to your local library or a local bookstore if they are still open or you can go online (if you have access) to look up websites where you can read books for free.
CREATIVE WRITING & DRAWING/PAINTING
If you are the type who likes to create, then you should have ample amount of time to do so. With creative writing, you can create your own world for you to escape. You can be as close to reality or be something outlandish, you are the author. If drawing or painting is your thing, you have enough time to not only practice how the basics but to come up with your own style that is distinguishable from others.
These are unprecedented times that we are in right now. Though the things that were listed seem mundane, they could be used as a means to help alleviate your cabin fever as well as help bring a sense of normalcy to your lives.
Well it’s kind of obvious what people do with the giant online-video sharing platform. Yes, you can watch video clips, highlight reels, or even episodes and movies on YouTube if you looked hard enough. But surprisingly enough, you can also find tutorial videos on there that can help you perform the simplest tasks (i.e. tying a tie) to performing more intricate (i.e. wood carving, cooking various meals). Not to mention that there are some YouTube channels that people are watching to help them with yoga and performing exercises without the use of a gym.
KEEPING LINES OF COMMUNICATION
It is often said that we humans are a social bunch of creatures and that we need that interaction with others to keep us…well…sane. We normally do that with telephones as the primary source of communication. But nowadays, you can also use computer programs (i.e. Skype) as well as gaming consoles (i.e. PlayStation Network & Xbox Live) to communicate with people over long distances. Also there are some phones that allow you to face time with other people so that not only can you hear their voices but as well as see them physically. This is especially useful for those who are looking to keep in touch with loved ones.
USING STREAMING SERVICES
Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, this is your time to shine. With the trend of many television shows, movies, comedy specials, and documentaries all going onto various streaming services, you can easily kill time by doing some good ol’ binge-watching of a series/documentary (apparently the big thing right now is Tiger King on Netflix). If you do not have any of this services, you can sign-up for the one-time 30-day trial if that is your preference.
VIDEO GAMES
If there was a time to be big into gaming, this is your time. For those who are into multiplayer, the servers are still up and running so you can easily kill some time trying to murk the competition in Fortnite of Call of Duty, cooperate with one another to achieve goals in Division 2 or Nioh 2, or just wanna play some sports games like Madden or NBA2K to fill the void of no sports going on. And if you are the person who likes to do single player mode or prefer single player games (i.e. RPGS, JRPGS), you can put various spins on it to make things more interesting (i.e. speed run through a game, try to beat a game with certain self-imposed conditions).
READING
For those who are not into watching hours upon hours of Netflix or Hulu or into the world of gaming, you could easily pick up a book and delve into the world of literature. You can dedicate certain parts of the day to just reading whatever books, novels, or poetry that is available to you. Should you find yourself without books to read, you could make the trek to your local library or a local bookstore if they are still open or you can go online (if you have access) to look up websites where you can read books for free.
CREATIVE WRITING & DRAWING/PAINTING
If you are the type who likes to create, then you should have ample amount of time to do so. With creative writing, you can create your own world for you to escape. You can be as close to reality or be something outlandish, you are the author. If drawing or painting is your thing, you have enough time to not only practice how the basics but to come up with your own style that is distinguishable from others.
These are unprecedented times that we are in right now. Though the things that were listed seem mundane, they could be used as a means to help alleviate your cabin fever as well as help bring a sense of normalcy to your lives.
