I've been in complete social isolation for almost two months now and I'm starting to lose my marbles. There are a few things that I never really do either mostly because I never had the time. Well, with this quarantine thing, I've got all the time in the world to pull out some new odd habits.
Paint my nails.
I never paint my nails because one of my anxious ticks is picking at my nails so it never lasts. Here of late, I've stopped caring about that. Sure, the polish on my fingernails lasts a good three days, but I just repaint them every few nights. It feels very empowering to walk around doing things with my nails painted a dark maroon. Honestly, this habit might continue even after quarantine ends.
Create and try out tattoo designs.
I bought some neat skin ink markers that won't give me ink poisoning and whenever I feel like procrastinating, I just pull those bad babies out and go to town drawing designs on my left arm and hand. I've gotten pretty good at creating simplistic designs and I've been copying all of my favorite designs into a sketchbook for future reference. Too bad I'm too squeamish to ever get a real tattoo, but if anyone needs some delicate simplistic designs, let me know.
Pull all-nighters.
Sure, I pulled some semi-all-nighters back at college to finish some homework here and there, but I've never stayed up all night. However, I'm stuck at home in quarantine and my family is very noisy. That means the only time I can focus enough to get work done is in the dead silence of night hours. I used to be productive during the day, but now I just feel so unmotivated when the sun is out. So, I've resorted to staying up all night, and I mean all night, to do as many assignments as I can.
Spend an ungodly amount of time on TikTok.
I never thought I would get so addicted to this app. If you don't know what TikTok is just think of Vine, but the videos are longer and there are way too many trends going around. I will literally lay in bed for hours scrolling through videos instead of actually getting up to start my day. It's crippling, but the videos are just so good. I can't stop. Is there some sort of therapy thing I can go to?
Drink calming tea.
My mom's gotten me hooked on tea. Chamomile, mint, ginger, they're all great. It's just so warm and relaxing to sip tea from a mug. I started drinking it at night to help me go to sleep, but it never really worked.
Binge anime.
I have been waiting, waiting, to get some time to watch anime again. I really got into it in middle school, but then high school it and slapped my freetime completely out of my life. Now, instead of doing my homework, I'm binge watching all the anime series I didn't get the chance to watch in my initial anime phase. I'm so behind, but I'm making progress.
Go on long walks in the evening.
I don't go walking because I enjoy the outdoors. I actually hate going outside. I always get sunburnt or eaten alive by mosquitoes or both, so I just avoid the wilderness. It's not very fond of me. No, I go outside and take 30 minute walks to escape my family that I've been cooped up with for two months. IIt reminds me of when we lived in an RV for two weeks last summer except now we're in close quarters at our boring home in North Carolina instead of out in the wild West. I almost snapped then, I don't know how I'm still sane now.
Staying up late to do homework.
Staying up late is a normal thing for me, but usually I'm up watching the next episode of a TV show after saying "just one more" three times prior. I'm never up working on actual homework or studying. That's completely changed now. I've got this toxic mindset that I can't rest until I get my stuff done. It might just be my downfall, but I'm actually getting so much done. So basically, I'm sacrificing my sleep for some efficiency.
Read for fun.
Since junior year of high school I have not had any time to actually read books that I want to read and it's devastating. I have a whole shelf of books that I haven't read. That stack is still sitting there even after two months. I guess quarantine didn't really change my reading habit, but I really wish it did.
Get super focused on an English essay at 3 am for no reason.
This one explains itself.
Eat a whole sleeve of cookies.
I don't know if it's considered stress eating or what, but after dinner I pull out the whole thing of cookies and just eat one after the other after the other. I don't even realize how many I'm eating until my mom asks if I'm going to stop anytime soon. Then I slowly close up the cookie container in shame and put it back in the cupboard.
Stress bake
I've made so many batches of brownies. I'm not even that into cooking. It's just so therapeutic to follow the simple instructions on the back of the box and create something delicious. That and brownie batter is an absolute delicacy in these stressful times.
