With the entire world locked up in quarantine, everything seems to have slowed down. Businesses have closed, schools have moved online, and even time itself seems to drag on lethargically these past few weeks. Whoever you FaceTime or even set up a Zoom call with seems to be painfully unoccupied, passing the time with video games or television shows. Admittedly, my household has been doing the same, trying to kill time with mindless distractions and driving each other towards the ends of frustration. However, we have recently started participating in a new activity every day that sparks new excitement and relaxation simultaneously. As simple as it might sound, taking walks has been extremely therapeutic.

Taking walks allows me and my family to exercise in a non-intensive way in a (relatively) new environment. While providing physical benefits, taking walks even just around the neighborhood provides a refreshing immersion in nature. We enjoy the fresh air, hear the birds chirps, admire the greenery, and feel the warm sunshine on our skin. After days of staying indoors and barely moving outside of my room, going outside was especially enjoyable. The expansiveness of the sky reminded us that we are so small in this unfathomably large world, but even so our collective small efforts of staying at home are making huge impacts.

With this, I strongly encourage everyone to take walks even once or twice a week. Alternatively, you could take it up a notch and go on a jog around the block. Maybe even go to your local park and kick around a ball - anything to get active outside. Even at such an unprecedented and dangerous time, it is important to take care of your mental health and enjoy the beauty around you. Just remember - keep at a safe social distance from those outside of your household when you go in public!