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10 Things to Do if You're Quarantined Due to Coronavirus

As fears of Coronavirus sweep the nation, drastic measures are being taken to contain it. March Madness is cancelled. South by Southwest is a no-go. Singling music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach have been pushed to October.
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As fears of Coronavirus sweep the nation, drastic measures are being taken to contain it. March Madness is cancelled. South by Southwest is a no-go. Singling music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach have been pushed to October. Local schools are extending spring break and universities are moving classes online. Businesses—like Capital One’s Plano campus for example—have sent their staff home. Anyone with flu-like symptoms is encouraged to self-quarantine and practice social distancing. While it’s heartening to see that containing the pandemic is being handled seriously, within a couple of days, we’re all going to come down with a pretty bad case of cabin fever.

The CDC has released some mitigation strategies for families, schools, businesses, and local governments. Here are 10 things to keep you occupied, calm, and entertained while you’re stuck at home due to Coronavirus.

Binge that Netflix show your friend has been bugging you to watch

coronavirus netflix
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Finally, an excuse to sit down and in one sitting, digest the entirety of that show your friends keep telling you is amazing. Make yourself some popcorn, pop some Vitamin C tablets, and settle in. It’s time to find out if Love is Blind

Clean up your social media feed

Tired of seeing Facebook posts from that guy you played golf with once? The political opinions of that friend of a friend you know from your sister’s bridal party? That one in-law that overuses emojis? If there’s ever a time to streamline your social media feed, it’s in the middle of a pandemic. 

Battle your washing machine to find your missing socks

laundry machine

Also, empty your lint collector.

Deep Clean your house

Don’t just do a cursory vacuum and dust up. This time, break out that multi-purpose surface cleaner, that toilet brush and that furniture polish. Blast your favorite music, rally the kids, and give your house a deep clean. How often do you really have hours to spend on the nitty gritty?

Become a yoga master

Just because you’re quarantined doesn’t mean you’ve got an excuse to slack off. Pull up a Youtube tutorial and get to work. 

Cook a childhood recipe that brings you joy

joy and oliver macarons
Courtesy of Joy + Oliver Facebook

We all need a little comfort, so whatever your comfort food is, go for it. Aggressively bake some brownies. Whip up a version of your grandma’s chicken noodle soup. Teach your kids how to make their favorite birthday cake. Or, if you’re starved for recipes, visit Dallas-based blog joy + oliver to see what unattainably beautiful dishes they’re cooking up. 

Make some long distance calls

If everyone’s stuck at home anyway, use your newly flexible work schedule wisely: call up a friend you’ve lost track of, or a sibling in another time zone. Have the kids Facetime Grandma and brighten her day.

Settle in with a good old fashioned page-turner

Here’s a novel concept: cuddle up with a good book. It’s remarkably easy to browse the stacks of your local library from your sofa. Most have some form of eBooks available for all ages, as well as documentaries, films, even classes. In these trying times, we recommend Stephen King’s The Stand.

Enroll in an online course

Thanks to the internet, there are classes and tutorials available online for all kinds of things. Whether it’s calculus, physics, Italian literature, or ancient Greek philosophy: there’s probably an app for that.

Treat Yo’self

There is literally no better time for a bit of self-care. Surely there’s a bathbomb and a bottle of wine hiding somewhere in your house.

Stay healthy out there.