Day 1: Easy. You binge watch your favorite show. A few days go by. You start to miss your friends. A few weeks pass. Can you even remember what the sun feels like? I know I practically forgot the outside world existed. I’m a pretty restless person- I can only watch so much TV, play so many video games, and spend excess amounts of time with family in close quarters. As humans, we crave stability. A schedule is a sign of normalcy. Of course, these times are anything but normal. Below are some tips and suggestions for living a little bit healthier while we face this stressful situation.

• Set goals. Take some time to yourself and figure out what you want to accomplish while in quarantine. Try to be grateful and look at the situation positively. From there you can decide how strict you want your schedule to be.

• Have a Wake Up Time. This will prevent you from sleeping the day away. Choose a time that is reasonable for you. If you’re not typically the person to get up at 5 A.M. then there’s no reason to become an early riser now.

• Plan Meal Times. Obviously this might vary each day depending if you have virtual meetings and whatnot. But listen to your body and only eat when you’re hungry to avoid over snacking. Plus, it’s fun to try some new recipes.

• Make time for academics (but not too much time). Remote learning can be overwhelming. Mrs. Anderson, psychology teacher at FMHS suggested that highschoolers should spend no more than 4 hours on school each day. Set aside 4-5 hours per day for work time to get an appropriate amount of work done without being overloaded.

• Try to exercise each day. This can be as strenuous as you want. Go for a hike, a walk around the neighborhood, or even try some workout videos. There are tons to watch on Youtube, and some gyms/studios have been going live on social media to teach classes.

• Unwind. Practice a form of self-care each day. This could be a spa like treatment, watching a movie or TikToks (although, monitor your screen time), picking up a new or old hobby, or whatever makes you happy. The CDC explains that everyone reacts to stress differently, and that it is important to respond accordingly so that our immune systems stay strong.

• Stay in touch. We’re social creatures. Try to call someone each day. This could be a friend or distant family member. Their day and yours will be brightened.

• Sleep well. Try to get the same amount of sleep each night to feel refreshed. Feel ready to conquer another day in quarantine and beat the boredom.