This whole pandemic is making us all stuck at home all the time, I now understand why dogs get so excited for walks and car rides. So I came up with a list of things you can do at home to help you stay sane during this time.

1. Try out painting!

This is something I got into about two years ago and at first, I wasn't interested because I didn't think I would be any good at it but my friends seemed to like it so I gave it a shot. I started by looking up easy paintings online and would basically recreate them. I still do that but now I've gotten to where I use them more for inspiration than anything else. Painting is really calming and fun to do. It also has helped with my anxiety quite a bit and I have really been enjoying it during this time at home.

2. Go outside!

Although a lot of parks and outdoor areas are closed it is still so important to be outside. Everyone needs some vitamin D and on top of that just going outside for a walk or jog and lift your mood so much. The weather is getting so nice as we are transitioning from spring to summer so why not go outside. I have been trying to take a walk around my neighborhood every day it has been really nice. If you have a dog I am sure they would love to walk with you. Another thing I've been doing is laying in my back yard in the sun. The sun just feels super nice and I hope I'll get a little bit of a tan.

3. Exercise!

It's important to stay active during this time. It can be so easy to slip away from this being stuck inside with not much to do but exercising is so good for your physical health and can help your mental health too. I have been doing my own home workouts as well as following workouts on youtube. There are so many workouts on youtube so you can easily find one that's is great for you. My sorority also made a workout group chat and we have been doing workouts together on zoom. This has been so great for motivation and I recommend getting a friend or group to do this with as it just makes it so much fun.

4. Self Care!

Now is a great time to focus on self-care. There are many ways to do this. Some of my favorites are to take a bath, watch a good movie, and using a face mask. But some other things are to read a book, doing your nails, eating well, drinking enough water, etc.

5. Make a routine!

With so much free time it can be really easy to push things off and stay in bed all day. A good way to combat this is to make some kind of routine. For example a morning routine: wake up at the same time every day, get ready, eat a healthy breakfast, go for a run or do a workout, and then do one productive thing whether that's cleaning, reorganizing, writing, an assignment for school, or anything you need or want to do. This will start your day and put you in a good mindset for the rest of the day.

Lastly remember this won't last forever, even if it seems like it. Keep yourself and others safe by staying home and practicing social distancing and do your best to stay positive.