While we are all under Quarantine, here’s something for you to read.

Social distancing. The word said every 5 minutes on the news, the thing everyone is talking about, whether actually following the requirement or not, you’ve heard of social distancing. I am all for this new suggestion in a time like this…but what are the effects of a limited to no social interaction lifestyle?

After staying home for a few days, I woke up and went to the kitchen and looked at the expiration date on the bottle of orange juice in the fridge. I had absolutely no idea what day it was. It could have been March 9th or March 15th, I had lost track of time. This reminded me of an article I read in my English class a few weeks ago regarding the effects of solitary confinement on prisoners. I am definitely not saying that we will be in quarantine for years, but there may be a connection between the two.

What effect does staying at home for two weeks straight have on someone? Four weeks? Possibly longer? Human interaction is an essential part of life for all of us, from shaking hands when meeting someone to saying hello to a friend at the mall. Isolation causes us to lose a very important component of ourselves, and what does it mean when it not only happens to one city, but the world? 

Many seem to be happy because of this extended spring break, but the long term effects may change some opinions. Due to the encouraged social distancing, many have been sitting sedentary at home watching TV, playing video games, or using other forms of technology to cope with this new way of life. I feel that this is the biggest misconception regarding the CDC’s health guidelines. 

Social distancing does not require/imply in any way that you have to stay inside your house, infact, studies show that the sunlight boosts health. The importance of a daily schedule is essential to a healthy life. Many may be using this time to sleep in, play games, and eat junk food, but that cannot be our coping method for this pandemic. Do something productive today, do something productive tomorrow, set morning alarms on weekdays, don’t spend more than two or three hours looking at a screen. These little things that may seem unimportant are of such value right now. 

I am by no means saying don’t watch TV, I have for sure binge watched my favorite Marvel movies these past few days, but there has to be more. 

This is just one string of thought in the long line of problems of social distancing, the psychological effects of someone who lives alone that is going to spend at least three weeks alone is far beyond me. Use this time wisely. Spend time with your sister, paint a picture, sit on your porch and read a book, learn how to bake, the list goes on and on. 

I guess the call to action here is just to do something, anything, other than nothing. Get creative, try something new. Don’t allow social distancing to become an excuse for laziness.

Well, do you get it now? quarantine? mean? It is mean?