fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
qua-diary: entry 02
Tags: Quarantine, Quarantine Diaries, Quarantinelife, Covid Diaries, Covid 19

On June 4th, 2020, amidst the covid — 19 pandemic and quarantine, I decided to start a diary, I called it Quarantine Diary (Quadiary in short). Starting today, I decided to share some of the entries, not all of them.

I hope you enjoy my train of thoughts, or at least, most of it.

5 June 2020 | a Friday Entry

I’ve had some things on my mind last night to write and add to yesterday’s entry, but I decided to leave it the way it was and just write another entry the next day (today). I guess this will become some sort of a must to do every day or so during this quarantine. Writing my heart out yesterday did really make me feel better and a little bit hopeful, I guess. I woke up a little bit early today. All those little bits do get to be bigger bits that will have positive effect in my daily life.

I liked a song today called (Dance Monkey — Tones & I), turns out its pretty old but I liked it nevertheless, it made me feel like I want to dance, I’ve always wanted to dance as a kid, I used to do gymnastics when I was around 9 or 10 years old. I miss it, it gave me confidence and flexibility, I used to practice in our aunt’s home garden (where we used to live) I also practiced in our home garden when we moved. I like having fun and I like music, it doesn’t really make me feel insecure like it used to do in my teenage years, in contrast it makes me feel free and invincible.

The thing about postponing what you feel like writing is that you start to forget what you wanted to write and how you used to feel, I think that’s a good thing because it reminds you that not all feelings last long.

My friends and I decided to have breakfast tomorrow, but it might turn into a brunch date and I don’t mind that as long as I get to go out and surround myself with them. Some people’s presence really does give you a spiritual boost you know.

I miss writing, it makes me feel like I’m talking to someone who’s just listening and not judging nor interrupting except to make me fix my spelling or grammar mistakes but that type of interrupting is okay because I can postpone it until I finish this sentence.

That’s what I’ve been feeling lately, the need for someone to listen, to make me feel safe again and less lonely.
Have you ever wondered where the word quarantine came from and how quarantines got started?
By: Matt Ray
Tags: Travel, Quarantine, Virus, Sailing, Covid 19

Global Hitchhiking is when you crew on sailboats around the world on passages. It’s an out-of-the-box way of traveling the world for the cost of your time and your own share of the expenses. It’s also a space for stories about sailing and traveling by ocean.
Quarantine Chronicles: I know it’s Late but I’m bored
By: Zipper Fly
Tags: Quarantine, Quarantinelife, Boredom, Pandemic, Covid 19

March 20, 2020

This year has been the most _______ (you fill it in) year of my life and probably the most stressful. I had a full year of lounging at home, doing college work, and watching YouTube videos. But everyday seems to become more and more boring….where are my manners…..hello my name is KC. I am 23 years old and live in Baltimore, Maryland and I am so bored….bored out of my wits. There is nothing to do here except go to the grocery store, go home, eat, and watch movies. This lifestyle doesn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that I am safe. But I miss my family (they live in Georgia), my friends,…my college campus…by the way this whole online school thing is not working. I do not know who’s idea this was to continue school with this online thing. I personally hate it. I like hand-on learning. I like to talk my professors and my peers face to face. Plus Jackie and I just met…I thought we were going to be good friends…we talking up storm before this stupid pandemic. I can’t seem find her on social media and do not have her cell phone number….just great.

March 21, 2020

Oh my goodness…this year….no words can describe _________(you fill in the blank) I feel. All because of this horrible pandemic. Don’t get me wrong…I love being with my family…but not like this. Oh…I’m sorry…my name is Jackie…Jackie Ann Hamilton. I am 22 years old, hailing from Laurel, Maryland and my brother keeps poking me. My sisters won’t stop touching my stuff. My room smells horrible. I’m on my laptop right now and I am bored. This was not part of the plan. My plan was to start working, save money, and move out by the end of year…that’s not happening. Besides I do not think my parents would have agreed to this…I haven’t even told them yet…I’m afraid to. It’s not because I don’t love them….that’s not why I want to move out. I want adventure. I want to get away from the familiar. I want to face life on my own. Of course, I would visit. But I can’t tell them this especially not now….I just a news alert and deleted it. I’m not an idiot but I have a rule. If I want to keep sane mind, I have to stop listening to news. If something is really important, it will get to me….I wonder how KC doing. We met during a class in January and have kept talking during every single class since then. She is very outgoing, talkative, and always doing something. She probably not used to being locked up like this. But I am. I am not allowed to go out any where without asking my parents. My day consists of going to college and then coming back home. I was too shy to make friends and very little time to hang out in the campus clubs. My parents…no it’s not parents…it’s me…I don’t bother asking them…I guess they’ll say no if I ask to stay at school more. I kind of wished I asked more.
Twas the Night Before 2020 Christmas
By: K.S. Wiswell
Tags: 2020, Quarantine, Parody, Christmas, Family

’Twas the night before Christmas, when through all their houses,

Families were clicking on Zoom with their mouses.

The gifts had been shipped USPS with care,

Since none of the givers could go anywhere.

The children preparing to sleep in home beds,

Were dreaming of Grandma and Grampa’s instead,

And I on the west coast, a cat in my lap,

Could not risk the danger of crossing the map.

For out in the world was a troublesome matter;

Ignoring it made one as mad as a hatter.

While some chose behavior both careless and brash,

We distanced and masked and threw plans in the trash.

We chat as the light of computer-screen glow

Gives the luster of death like we’re all in The Crow.

But still it’s delight when those faces appear,

Of friends and the family we hold the most dear.

We’d hoped isolation would be over quick,

But that was a dream given President Dick.

More rapid than eagles incompetence came

As he treated a war like a confidence game.

Not Fauci! Not Redfield! Not Azar or Birx!

No voices of reason could stop all the jerks!

From the Michigan plots to the Mexican wall,

They dashed around, stood their ground, jackasses all!

As toddlers that bite, kick, and cream at the sky,

When faced with an obstacle, “Freedom!” they cry.

So, stuck in the house, all the rest of us stew,

Making quarantine toys out of paper and glue.

As the rates of infection go up through the roof,

We master the art of the sourdough proof,

A drink in our hand, and minds far from sound,

Our waistlines grow closer and closer to round.

We’re dressed all in sweats, forever barefoot,

And our shower routine has long since gone kaput.

The house is a mess — why put anything back?

It’s not the free time but the will that I lack.

Our eyes — how they’ve wrinkled! Blood pressure — how scary!

Who knew that they body could get quite so hairy?

We’ve given up knitting, failed learning to sew.

We’ve taken to eating outside in the snow.

On work calls we desperately grin through our teeth

To hide the depression a-boil underneath.

At night we curl up with our friends on the telly,

And cheer when a Goonie escapes a Fratelli.

But tonight, we put strife on the shelf with the elf.

I will laugh and relax and feel more like myself.

Through the glory of tech we’ll unite the homestead;

No longer alone, be with family instead.

We will speak not a word before images jerk

Our mouths into smiles, Christmas magic at work.

As happiness spreads from our eyes to our toes

The distance between us will mentally close.

And while most of this year has been sharp as a thistle,

Think on this thought and rejoice with a whistle:

The year 2020 is soon out of sight.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ZOOM A GOOD NIGHT!
Positivity of 2020 in Shaping the Future of Humanity
By: Hafiz Jawad Sohail
Tags: Quarantine, Coronavirus, Life Lessons, Love, Covid 19

2020 was a year of real superheroes. Never before has there been a borderless event of this magnitude that has influenced our thinking, lifestyle, decision making, and inter-dependence. Local and global dynamics have totally changed and 2020 has not been a normal year in any way.

We cannot deny the fact that this year was dramatic and horrific for many of us because of the rise in domestic violence, unemployment, economic instability, lockdown, working from home, and irresponsible behavior by those who have not taken the pandemic seriously. Disinformation was also widespread and the role of social media was criticised for not fulfilling its due responsibilities. COVID- 19 disrupted the operational capabilities of businesses across the globe and put in danger many small and medium enterprises. In short, this year has changed the economic, political, social and environmental dynamics forever.

Now we realise the devastation caused by the pandemic but COVID-19 has also acted as a wake-up call for all of us to adapt to the changing environment and to reimagine the roles of industry, government, and civil society. We saw many positive things this year and believe me, the events of 2020 are going to reshape the future of humanity. For instance, this was the year of creativity, digital connectivity, virtual events, remote working, innovation, and dare I say evidence-based decision-making. We saw many inventions in the field of healthcare, fintech, and online education. We also witnessed many acts of kindness & charity, sacrifice, and gained a new appreciation for those that work on the frontlines. This was also the year of social activism, women leadership and Black Lives Matter.

There has also been a greater demand for accountability and transparency in decision making, inclusive of all sectors. We also looked back at our food production strategies and the risks facing our global supply chains. During this year we also talked about the prospects of digitalization, the digital economy, green finance, data protection, and the importance of cybersecurity. Most importantly, our planet got a breather after many centuries of resource-intensive industrialization. In a year that science could not be denied, many of the skeptics finally woke up to both the crisis and the opportunity of climate change.

As we welcome another new year, we also have many challenges ahead of us in 2021. Successful recovery requires redesigning our economies so that we prioritise sustainability over short term profits. Building back better will also require us addressing rising inequality. The distribution of the coronavirus vaccine will be a critical test to see if we are serious about equitable access to public goods.

Published on CIVICUS

https://www.civicus.org
Worst Purchases During Quarantine
Tags: Quarantine

Recently, I saw a YouTube video that Shelby Church made. It is called “My 5 Worst Purchases During Quarantine.” I am irresponsible spender which made me think this could be a funny topic. Quarantine has drove me insane over and over again so I keep spending money.

I bought a Nintendo Switch Lite. It was almost $300 and I haven’t touched it in almost a month. Actually, I might even sell it. I never have time to play on it. I’ve bought at least 4 games too. In total, I have spent around $500 just on switch stuff.

Stuffed animals have been a comfort item for me nonstop. I have anxiety and soft items help a lot ,but the amount I have spent on stuffed animals is ridiculous. I wanted these Disney ones because I love Disney. It was around $90 for 3 and I got them on sale. Disney overprices their items though.

Fast food. I spend around $100 a month on fast food. It could be way worse , but I’m trying to save for college.

This is a short article because I am trying to get used to writing before I do longer topics.
The Real Hug
By: Priyanka Srivastava
Tags: Quarantine, Americanhaiku, Pandemic, Poetry, Writing

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Quarantine tips for extroverts
By: Sam Jones
Tags: Quarantine, Satire, Extrovert, Advice, Covid-19

Holiday quarantine got you ready to light something on fire? Put down that blowtorch and listen up: You can get through this. The world needs you to keep your shit together. Alone.

Facetime

with that relative none of your family members like. This will remind you that not all human interaction is a good thing, and will give you something to throw in other family members’ faces once we’re all vaccinated. “I called Aunt Janet during a PANDEMIC mom. The least you could do is wish her a happy birthday for me” — is something you’ll be able to say.

Install locks. Lots of locks.

Sound of a runner and her canine companion got you ready to bolt outside? Good thing you outfitted your door with 13 combo locks that require your attention for no less than 4 minutes — about the time needed to forget why you were leaving in the first place. Is that many locks a fire hazard? Sure — all the more reason to put down that blowtorch.

Journal

Start writing and don’t stop until you have a breakdown that helps you understand why you crave this much attention.

Clean

everything. Your face, your closet, your desktop that’s overrun with accidental downloads and pics of your cat who has been dead for 3 years. Finally try out that at-home colonic you bought last year and then promptly start popping that unused Z Pack your doctor gave you before your trip to Bali because you forgot to buy distilled water and, let’s be real, sepsis isn’t a good look.

Write a song

and then record it and upload it to YouTube. Comments = enabled.

Fight

with the trolls who make fun of the song you uploaded to YouTube.

Scream

into the ether. Follow it up with an “I’m actually fine” so as not to alarm others and risk them coming over.

Watch The Office from start to finish

for the 7th time. Repeat until WHO and CDC tell you otherwise.
Day 1 of answering my own questions
Tags: Parenting, Quarantine, Gen Z, Questions, Seventeen

In the beginning of quarantine,I wrote down many questions that are not “boring” when wanting to start a conversation with someone. Instead of the casual “wyd?” I wrote specific questions. The truth is that I wrote them when I wanted to get to know a boy that had 0 interest in me so since I have 0 fans at the moment, I’ll write these for myself.

Question №19: Do you think your parents raised you right?

As a 17 year old, I definitely taught myself all attitude and toxic defense mechanisms, but it was also to defend myself from my parents. Yea, I’m overly spoiled and get what I want, but that’s just my parents not wanting to deal with my crap. I feel bad for a lot that my parents suffered just for me but like…. what did they expect? They wanted a second child after all. Anyway, I feel like my mom was a great impact after all. That lady brushed and styled my hair for about 12 years and would always talk to me through the time she styled my hair. She would tell me jokes,stories,and give advice, all while brushing my tough curls. I guess that’s how I became the empathetic liberal I am today.

My dad however was always someone I just couldn’t open up to. I joke with him everyday as I did as a kid, but that’s almost it. Every time I said anything serious, I got laughed at. And he wonders why I don’t hug him anymore. I love my dad and he’s definitely been supportive of me and the things I do, but I’d rather keep things to myself than seem like a joke. I don’t think either of them should be offended . Ironically, I opened up to them about my eating disorder because they had commented on my figure a couple weeks ago. They apologized and understood which made me feel a bit better. Overall, I do think I was raised “right”, whatever that means. I’m just saying that I’m happy with my mind and how I handle things and it was because of them.

If you read this, thank you, and I would love to hear feedback.

-Adriana

Update: haven’t gotten a honey bun yet :(
The Dog Days of Quarantine
Tags: Quarantinelife, Dogs, Quarantine

Working from home is new to me. And my pups. In this article, I’m sharing some of the “fun” experiences of working with Schnauzers.

When I’m not writing dog topics (which you might like since you are reading this), I work at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. I am the person you would speak to on the phone prior to admitting that asks a million questions. I’m sorry. They make me do it.

My office and desk are strewn with pictures of my dogs, past and present. I also have two pictures of my husband and I. During my 8-hour workday, I am often thinking about my dogs and wishing I was at home with them. I have been known to tell my husband that I want to be a stay-at-home dog mom. So when the COVID-19 struck the US population, and the opportunity arose for me to work from home, I jumped at the chance. Who would pass up the opportunity to work in their pajamas in the comfort of their own home? Especially with their favorite fur-babies.

I have two miniature schnauzers, 18-month-old Mollie and 15-year-old Ace. For anyone not aware, schnauzers are little alarmists. By owning one you will know when anything enters your yard or dares pass by the house in the street. They bark a lot. This was a concern for me considering I am on the phone talking with individuals seeking help in their time of need.

Ace wasn’t my concern, at 15 years old, he sleeps most of the day. However, Mollie is his trigger. She will bark and he will join her in a chorus of noise sure to terrify the small wildlife in our yard. This tells the critters to think twice about making our yard their home. I’m positive Ace has no idea why he is barking but feels that it’s his duty to back up his little sister.

I was lucky the first week I worked from home. The handful of times that Mollie barked I wasn’t on the phone. That ended on week two. I was on the phone with a parent of a potential patient when we had a delivery person that rang the doorbell. The barrage of barks it launched was deafening. I profusely apologized to the caller who was very understanding and happy to know that my employer was taking everyone’s safety to heart, and allowing us to work from home. They also shared their dog’s antics.

On another call, the dog in that household barked and Mollie, who was laying aside of my leg, immediately perked up to listen. The dog on the other end barked again and my dog lunged off the chair barking her head off, running to the doors looking for the dog that had the audacity to interlope. The caller and I both had a chuckle over that one.

Most of the days Ace and Mollie spend snoozing at my feet or next to my legs if I’m not at my desk and on my chaise instead. I try to keep them in their normal routine as far as feeding and potty breaks so when the time comes for me to return to the office, their schedule doesn’t change. Although I would be quite content for this working from home thing to become permanent. The working-from-home dog mom life suits me.
Here’s a little moodboard for your quarantine days.
By: Strawberiis
Tags: Mood, Quarantine, Mood Board, Quotes, Self Improvement

It’s good to sometimes get off your phone and write or read your thoughts away :)

Warm sweaters for you and your soul.

Completing the day with your favorite comfort show. (My personal favorite would be Friends)

Be kind to yourself.
Isn't everything moving too fast?
By: Rn Nabila
Tags: Im Tired, Quarantine

I’ve been trapped in my room trying to finish my final assignment for this last couple of days. Working nonstop for approximately 10 hours a day. (BUT WHY HASN’T IT FINISHED YET????) Other than that, I just do my usual stuff trying to stay alive and sane.

Despite the privilege of having a balcony, I don't know what's going on outside. My world is just this 3 by 3 box. I don't remember how the winds felt like and how beautiful the lights when the golden hour arrived. Because I always shut my balcony door. When I turn around, all I see is the night sky, and I need to go to sleep for tomorrow.

For me,

time is just a mere digit now, not how the sun and the moon changing. Is it how time supposedly measured? I don't even feel the movement of the time anymore. I feel numb and disconnected from everything around me.

But,

The once a week trip to the grocery store has been nothing but a blessing. The monotonous scenery looks quite different every time I go out. It somehow takes me to many different parts of my brain and recharges many different feelings. connect me back to the place and space I’ve been living.

I see the blue sky, feel the wind,

and I always surprise to see the bits different in this scenery. It's always the same route. But it always felt different.

Well,

Today,

I remember how it feels to connect again to your surrounding. But tomorrow, perhaps I will be lost again in my 3 by 3 world.
The Quarantine Top 10 (2020)
By: M.F. Dibella
Tags: Quarantine, Music, Top 10 Albums, Top 10, Year In Review

Holed up for nine months while America reckoned with its colonial (racist) legacy, this was a music year like none other. Some albums were Molotov fuel while others were much-needed escape. Setting our souls and minds free was no small task in 2020. Here’s my Top 10 Albums prefaced by a host of honorable mentions:

10. Your Old Droog, Dump YOD: Krutoy Edition

Fred Van Vleet look-alike, money from beyond the arc. Tha God Fahim well in the mix.

9. Preservation, Eastern Medicine, Western Illness

Producer Preservation used only samples from records he bought during a three-year residence in Hong Kong. Sublime.

8. Washed Out, Purple Noon

Slow burner. PWM knows.

7. Burna Boy, Twice As Tall

This is Nigeria. From the land of Fela, Burna Boy (and other Nigerian vocalists like Davido & Wizkid) gave us a mix of dancehall, grime and Afro-pop (naija), a welcome texture to a dour 2020.

6. Roc Marciano, Mt. Marci

Built for the heights. Roc Marc charted a climb for Griselda et. al.

5. Freddie Gibbs x The Alchemist, Alfredo

Skinny Suge can’t lose. Nor can our pal AL.

4. Jay Electronica, A Written Testimony

The best album of 2011. Thanks, Jigga.

3. Boldy James x The Alchemist, The Price Of Tea In China

The Detroit drawl realized. Deadpan jams.

2. Run The Jewels, RTJ4

Fight The Power, a fervent fuck you to colonial clowns.

Khruangbin, Mordechai

The best band in the world, three years running. Maybe not the best offering in their catalog, but their measuring stick is made of Beskar. Seriously, fuck off Pitchfork.
4 Things I Regret Not Doing in Quarantine
By: J-Luc Cipieres
Tags: Teens, Life, Quarantine, Regret, Coronavirus

2020 has been a tough year with many disasters and now it is finally coming to an end. In this year, we were brought into a new phenomenon called quarantine. We could only leave the house for shopping and when we did, we had to wear masks. This was a sudden change but we had to accept it; this is a list of things I regret not doing.

Learning a new language

With all the spare time we had between online calls, school and work, we took to apps like ‘Duolingo’ to learn new languages; the most studied languages this year were Spanish, Mandarin and Italian. I decided to join onto this trend by learning Danish. To no one’s surprise, me being the noncommittal soul I am, I gave up quickly. Now knowing how much time I had, I look back wishing I had kept going.

Daily Exercise (Getting into shape)

Across the world but especially in England, we watched Joe Wicks do live exercise classes in the morning. We also re-watched the same videos over and over in the hopes of getting into shape and looking better. I did a few days of exercise to try and look better but you guessed it, I gave up. On the contrary, my parents stayed committed for a good few weeks.

Eating Healthier

I decided that I would eat more fruit and less junk food. I was as the adverts say ‘Looking for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max’. And again, I gave up. Although, this could be achieved whenever so I do intend on trying again; don’t get me wrong I am happy with my body, but I just want to be healthier.

Talking to old friends

I am quite a loner and introvert yet I still have friends outside of the school environment. In particular, I met a person a few years ago but we only see each other for two weeks a year. In this time I did talk to them more and play games with them over the internet but I should’ve said more. Sometimes I was being a bad friend and I pretended to be busy which I now regret. Mostly, I wanted to get closer to them; I did but now it has faded. What a shame, maybe I’ll get in touch again.
Qarrtsiluni
By: Barry Leybovich
Tags: Pandemic, Self, Quarantine, Hope

Photo by Lasse Møller on Unsplash

Qarrtsiluni

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of what’s felt like the longest year. From the initial onset of the pandemic, reckoning with racial injustice, the election, and more, it has felt like inching out to a ledge of snow, not knowing whether it is a cornice that could suddenly collapse under our weight.

There is an Inuit expression called qarrtsiluni, that roughly means “sitting together in darkness waiting for something to burst or break”. For the Inuit, this was meant literally, where men would go to a festival house without light or lamps, and sit in the darkness waiting for a song to come to them, bubbling up from the depths of the sea. Sacred songs burst forth this way, to honor the whales which the Inuit believed gave themselves willingly to the hunters.

It certainly feels today like we are on some cusp, some precipice and we wait in anticipation to see life burst forth again. The vaccine gives us hope, even while the pandemic is claiming more lives than ever. There is light ready to burst forth from the depths of the sea, but for it to come forth we must wait for it in the darkness and let it come to us; we must be ready to receive it.

Keep steady, and stay safe, the days only grow longer from here.
4 Crucial Lessons I Learned During Quarantine, and How These Translate Into Learnings for 2021
By: Danielle Cara
Tags: Quarantine, Mental Health, Emotions, Coronavirus

Express Gratefulness Everyday

I have learned to be grateful for the little things in life, beyond my health and happiness. The ability to work out from home, go for walks and do my weekly grocery shopping are small tasks that I have developed immense gratitude for. One of my favorite YouTube fitness coaches always says “Gratitude is attitude”. This simple, yet meaningful quote has resonated with me immensely this past year.

Be Kind to Others

Even though we can’t see people outside of our social circle, kindness can be expressed in many forms. Thanking the shelf stockers at grocery stores, tipping your local coffee shop barista, or donating to a local charity are acts of generosity that go a long way. I have learned to treat workers and other individuals in my neighborhood with a little more kindness during these tough times. Smiling or saying ‘hello’ to someone as you walk by could brighten their day.

Practice Patience

Back in March, I constantly would ask myself “How long will this pandemic go on for?”, “When can I go back to work in the office?” or “When can I see my friends again?”. I have learned that patience is a virtue, and practicing this virtue makes your life a bit less stressful. There is no reason to be hung up on an issue that is beyond our control. Instead of asking myself these questions, I learned to instead occupy my thoughts with stimulating activities such as reading or crosswords.

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

Although it may not seem like it, 2020 is finally coming to an end. There is no need to jump to conclusions and overthink what life will bring you next year. If a day goes by that you experience minimal amounts of stress and anxiety- then that is a day worth being proud of. Dealing with a plethora of emotions, that can sometimes change hourly, is exhausting. Be kind to yourself and don’t worry about the challenges of the next day. Instead, focus on today’s achievements and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.
Retroativo
By: Janaína Fernandes
Tags: Quarantine

“Live from a world of empty threats

They can break bones

Sent home in a wreck

The less then sudden yell

The raised voice of despair

Chimes briefly in the air

Broken hearts that never tell”

Soft Kill — Tin Foil Drip
How to spend Christmas 2020 — Quarantine style
By: Lotte Meijer
Tags: Quarantine, Books, Games, Christmas, Activity

Christmas is supposed to be a holiday all about family, friends and getting together. Unfortunately, 2020 had some other plans in mind. With the COVID19 crisis still looming over us, Christmas 2020 is going to be unique in every single way.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

All around me I hear friends and family discussing their Christmas plans. The yearly big family dinners, friendly get-togethers and cosy evenings near the fireplace are not really on the agenda anymore. But this doesn’t mean that Christmas should be boring this year!
My Emotional Rollercoaster During Quarantine
By: Rufat Rassulov
Tags: Pandemic, Quarantine, Emotions, Covid 19

I am still at home, after 274 days of quarantine. It’s been hard, but I didn't expect it to be that hard at the end of the year. The first few months of quarantine were pretty productive, I read a lot of books, learned new habits, and even made money.

Things started to go south in July, I burned out, there wasn’t any motivation in me. I felt really miserable, and as I found out later, a lot of my peers felt the same way. When the summer holidays ended and it was time for the online school, my emotions started messing with me. I couldn’t understand what was going on and only realized that there is a pattern after two months.

It turned out that my emotions are really hard to control and I noticed that one day I could feel on top of the moon, and the other I feel stressed the whole day. I can become incredibly happy just because of a simple thing like accomplishing a small goal, but on the next day, my mind can just explode because of all the things I have to do.

Mostly, the stress and frustration come from uncertainty and the feeling of not being enough or wasting my time. It’s hard to manage time properly when you have basically every task under your own control and no one but, you are there to punish yourself. Time management can be tough and most of the time I feel stressed just because I think that all this time I could be doing something more productive; instead, I play Red Dead Redemption 2 on my Xbox, just because it’s the easier way to escape stress.

Some uncertainty also comes from the future, what career should I pursue? Maybe not going to college will ruin my life? Where am I going to live? Will I have enough money? Unfortunately, I can’t answer all the questions because I am not sure yet.

Would my mental health be the same if the pandemic never started? Who knows. But I think that it would be slightly easier to go through all of this. Procrastination is too easy right now; discipline becomes a tough skill to get back when you just forget how your productive day looked like.

But hey, at least I am writing something! Thanks for reading this story describing my emotional rollercoaster, do you have anything similar? It seems like this pandemic will teach me some vital lessons for my whole life.
Some questions to the world…
By: Caroline M
Tags: Short Read, Poem, Quarantine, Self-awareness, Psychology

Photo by Kaja Reichardt on Unsplash

If you could design each and every day to your exact liking, what would that look like?

What’s the difference between better aligning yourself to your interests and plain recognition that work is hard?

Why is it so hard to motivate yourself while alone?

How is it possible to feel your personality and general self development has regressed? The evolution already exists, how could it just go away? Was the evolution real or just a change of environment or reality?

Does changing your reality change who you are? Can you change reality by how you interpret it or literally changing your surroundings? Is ‘who you are’ even a thing?

Why is it so hard to get started?

Why is it so hard to keep at something?

Why is it so hard to feel engaged in something?

How come whenever the feeling engagement happens, it’s hard to keep that momentum going? What needs to happen next? Why is engagement so fleeting?

Why is the intersection of unexplored and explored so interesting?

Is the answer to not asking ourselves limitless questions, constantly being busy? Just force yourself to go here and there until there’s no room for thinking?

What’s so addictive about wanting to be more attractive? Wanting to be liked and viewed as interesting or unique?

Why does writing feel so good?

Why do I want to produce things quickly and not perfectly? Why does the amount that I care diminish over time?

How do I crate a space that inspires me?
Junior in High School… + Pandemic: 5 Ways I’ve Found Some Piece of Mind
Tags: Quarantine, Lifestyle, High School, College, Mental Health

Photo by Bethany Laird on Unsplash

I never thought my junior year would turn out like this. Like seriously — I never imagined a global pandemic completely and utterly derailing my high school football games, events, SATs, and classes. I can’t even be in the building of my school with my friends. God forbid our last names fall in the same section of the alphabet.

This year has been hell for all of us — especially students. In almost a year, my life has been turned upside and back around. This being my junior year of high school, I am starting to think about the future. What do I want to be? What college do I want to go to? Can I even stand living at home for another year and a half?

Throughout this interesting year, I have found some piece of mind. I have learned more about myself than ever before. Here are some tips for others like me:

No more expectations! — we live in a new world. No more expecting that things are just going to happen for us. We can’t expect our prom or our football season or anything really. This is the time we have to appreciate what we do experience. My new motto is: expect nothing and appreciate everything Take care of your mental health — Do what is best for you and your mental health before anything. We have experienced how lonely people have become during these hard times. Mental health is incredibly important in maintaining a balanced life. Lay in your bed, take a break from the computer and go eat some ice cream, go out with friends. Do whatever makes you happy. Trust me, it’s good for you. It is okay not to be okay — If things are going wrong, it is OKAY. Life is full of ups and downs (key part being downs). For some of us, 2020 has been a major dip in the road. Let yourself not be okay. Take many breaks, cry it out. Things will get better I promise. Use this time to do something for yourself — During quarantine, I decided to use the downtime to focus on my relationship and get in shape again. Now, my new goal is to study and get a better score on my SAT. Personally, I think now is the time to work on yourself. Get better at something you always wanted to get better at. You are never going to have the downtime you have right now. Whether it’s studying or working out or anything else, set a goal and go after it. You got this! Learn to love the person you are today — Over this past year, I’ve really come into my own. I never smiled more, laughed more, cried more. I learned how to live for myself and what I truly want in life. If you love yourself, you learn to love your life

Remember, this year is almost over. Enjoy the last few days of 2020! And be excited for what 2021 holds. It can’t be worse, right?
Day 10 QT- Routines
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

There’s something strangely refreshing about being physically locked away from the world. After being surrounded by loved ones and stress, I think I needed this transition between two worlds.

I can see how an environment like this can effect someone’s mental health and to combat the untoward effects of isolation, I’ve kept some routines in place.

Wake up

Shower

Breakfast

Temperature check

Teach

Lunch

Rest

Exercise

Temperature check

Rest

Dinner

Bath

Rest

Sleep

Overall, there is always something to look forward to in here.
How to Use Quarantine to Beat FOMO
By: Mindful Musings
Tags: Social Media, Fomo, Quarantine, Mindfulness

Ah, FOMO — the thing everyone likes to pretend they’re above (myself included). In our normal lives, it has more of a grip on our decision-making than we’d like to admit. It can motivate us to do things we otherwise wouldn’t want to or make us feel bad about doing things we’d prefer. FOMO is the worst, we can all agree on that. The question is: how do we deal with it?

Firstly, it’s important to recognize that FOMO is unavoidable. Our biology (rooted in evolutionary theory) dictates as much. According to informal psychological concepts like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and more formal ones like self-determination theory (SDT), feeling connection with others is a legitimate human necessity that influences mental health. Through this lens, FOMO appears more as a self-regulatory state arising from a situational or long-term perception that our social needs are not being met. Simply put, FOMO is the cost of being a human *shrugs*.

Now with the understanding that FOMO is unavoidable, let’s investigate how it actually works. Anything we identify as happening without us immediately prompts comparative assessment of its value relative to whatever we’re currently engaged in. Comparison is not the issue, however. Where FOMO becomes deadly to our emotional states is when we attach an undeserved importance to whatever it is we’re comparing ourselves to.

Unfortunately, the internet makes it easier than ever to frame what we’re doing as important (even boring things like blogs!). This isn’t all on social media either, although they’re certainly to blame for most of it; anything “shared” by someone else has an intentionality behind it that prevents its natural imperfections (I prefer beauty) from shining through. Even if there’s #nofilter on a picture or #realtalk after a long soliloquy of text, there was a conscious decision by someone to share that part of their life that we seem to forget underlies the entirety of our digital existence. You’ll never see anything online about someone brushing their teeth unless it’s an ad for a new toothpaste.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we go through tons of mental calculations before choosing to share something; we want our contribution to the digital ether to be “worth it” and can spend way more time than we should agonizing over the right caption or location or emoji (or emojis) to use in a post. As someone who used to do that, let me tell you, it’s fucking exhausting.
Day 9 QT- Tech
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

I can’t even imagine to think where this year would have taken me had it not been for the technology I’ve had to rely on daily. But it’s not always great.

This isn’t going to be a post on the Great Firewall of China, but feel free to Google that if you’re interested in that side of geo politics.

When my MacBook was couriered from safe keeping to my hotel, I was excited. This piece of metal was one of the reasons that I came back here. Chinese customs policies on devices with batteries means that there was no way I could have had it sent back to Australia. But, for almost a year, I hadn’t touched it. I then had the excruciating task of having to download a years worth of updates to the operating system and the programs I need to be able to teach online. Let me tell you, that problem combined with rather ordinary hotel wifi has stolen so many hours of my peaceful quarantine. In the end, I had to use my mobile 4G data to download 16gb worth of stuff and will receive a hefty phone bill to match. All in the name of education baby! Outcome- NO WINNER

Yesterday I spent half the time fighting with the airlines website because it wouldn’t accept my phone number or my name. Mum in all her love and wisdom granted me a name so long it doesn’t fit on any documents and for a bonus, gave me two hyphens to live with. Well, this is a DAILY struggle in China where the majority of names are either two characters. My name? Forget it, 100 different combinations later. I decided to just call the airline because I was irritated. Technology lost in this battle, the operator was so kind and once she saw my details understood my predicament and sorted me out in 5 mins. OUTCOME- Tech lost

Today, I used the technology to continue my physiotherapy treatments and I don’t know how, but I managed to sweat and laugh more than when I did these treatments in person. I’ll be sore tomorrow, but luckily, apart from a couple of online classes, this should be a good day to continue doing… nothing. Outcome- Tech wins

In terms of COVID tracking, China’s tracking system is unmatched in the western world from what I’ve seen. I personally had no problem with Australia’s COVID tracker but as an iPhone user, found it cumbersome. To enter other provinces within China, get on trains and planes, you have no choice but to flash your COVID QR code which links to your latest test results, before you’re allowed to board. For me to get back to Hangzhou, I need the Fujian and Zhejiang province codes up and running before I leave the hotel. Sound confusing? It is, but there is one thing you can trust as an expat here, it all works out in the end. Outcome- China wins
Day 11 QT — inventory
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

I’m two-thirds of the way through my quarantine journey and my mind has begun the shift to preparing to leave (insert dramatic collective sigh here). But, being the scout I am, I brought so much stuff that now needs to be moved to Hangzhou… urghhh. Preparing for this 2 week period was definitely a watch and learn process, modeling from the brave souls that went before me. I’ll be forever grateful for their tips and tricks. So, in the interest of helping those taking the journey after me, here’s my updated inventory list. Compiling this list has been interesting and from my personal observations over the past week and a half, I’ve always known that I am an over-packer and learnt that I’m not a big snacker!

Please see photos for the inventory list
Day 7 QT — Boats
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

I thought we’d leave the sanctuary that has become my place of work, rest, exercise and play for the past week and wander out onto the balcony.

I have a wonderful vantage point from here, where I’m able to watch the people below paddle in the shallows, dig for crabs (I think that’s what they are doing) and watch the boats spin on their anchors at various points throughout the day. Each morning, there is a man who hits a small heavy object with a rather large stick as a crowd gathers. I guess this is his form of exercise. In the early evenings, the dancing aunties spin and twirl in sync to music (a common site in this country).

I am situated close to a dry dock that services the 20 or so fishing trawlers anchored in this region of the harbour. For the most part, the trawlers haven’t left on any big trips but every so often I see a dingy head out to a larger vessel.

In the distance, on the far side of the harbour, a large cruise ship has been moored there the whole week, which gets me thinking. Apparently, domestic air travel within the country has returned to normal (full flights that are usually late from my experience). What about cruising? I’m sure the popular cruise path between China and Japan has halted, surely?

The balcony has offered great respite from the hotel walls and on less smoggy days, I quite like sitting out there.
Day 8 QT -Linen
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

This one is by request and a timely day to write about it because I have zip energy today and have spent a large amount of time lazing between the sheets.

I have figured out that my ginormous bed is actually two double beds or a Queen and a double put together with a foam topper (as not to feel the gap). The mattress is very comfortable, even appeasing my prickly back. Linen is white and soft, probably 1000 count, but I really have no idea as I am a tight ass who buys her sheets from Kmart and op-shops when in Australia (apart from 2020, I’ve never been back long enough to invest in luxury sheets). The tag on the smooth pillowcases says “Canasin”. Give that a google if you’re bored, they feel expensive.

The pillows are unbranded, down-filled, and a little too bulky for my liking but, I have no choice but to enjoy them.

I haven’t requested a clean set of sheets because the thought of having to strip and re-dress this slumber wonderland myself doesn’t excite me. But I’ve heard that others have. For me, with a week to go, I’ll be sleeping on the untouched side of the bed because, why not! Note- I do make the bed every day as a matter of habit.

In terms of towels that were provided, no fluffy white hotels towels are to be seen, no robes either. There were two new pairs of hotel slippers in the closet and I use them when I venture out onto the balcony. We were given a towel the size of a hand-towel to dry ourselves with and this size is very common here. Never fear people, I’m not walking around drip-drying myself, I brought two large gym towels to get me through. I’m also acutely aware of not being able to have the room cleaned so I have a morning shower and evening bath to keep the sheets in pristine condition.
Day 12 QT- Night lights
By: Rosalina Menton
Tags: Quarantine, China

Let’s move this back out onto the balcony, and I’ll take you through what seems to be a rare quiet night. I’ll enjoy a Friday night drink and the cool breeze, you can just imagine the sea breeze hitting your face.

As I said, tonight, it’s peaceful and calm out there, no dancing aunties or terrible karaoke singers dragging their microphone and boom box onto the beach. Hooray.

Each night between precisely at 6 pm-10 pm the Xiamen city skyline lights up with images on the buildings. I get the feeling they are advertising an event, I want to guess it’s the “30th Chinese movie festival” from the words projected on the facades but my confidence in my Chinese language skills is lacking.

It’s rather beautiful and definitely a nice quarantine bonus to enjoy, especially on weekends when the seniors must be at home with their loved ones rather than singing and dancing all over the shop.

*edit- the karaoke lady has arrived and I’m going back inside.