For the last year or so, the options to go out and have fun have been limited and constantly changing. Different colored tiers and shifting rules have impacted our choices. We were told to stay in for two weeks to flatten the curve. We were told to wear masks and stay six feet apart. The government tried to limit outside interaction by enacting a curfew for people who were not coming or going to essential jobs.
At the beginning of the pandemic, few stores were open and the hours were limited. Then the number of people who could be in the stores at one time was limited, while other stores and businesses were closing for good. Nail salons and hair stylists opened, closed, set up shop outside or snuck in regular customers, but throughout the summer and into the fall and winter, one could never be 100% sure that an appointment would be valid from day to day.
People were encouraged not to go out of state or out of town, and going out of the country was out of the question. Families were encouraged to not gather for holiday after holiday and more and more time was spent at home, for school, for work and for fun. If you could go out, you could hardly be sure if you would be able to go in, so it was sometimes better to find something to do not just close to home, but at home.
In the beginning, the world was a madhouse. It was hard to find toilet paper, cases of water and Lysol. People just couldn’t decide what behaviors were acceptable and what was necessary, but as time went on, we started to figure it out.
For some people, the year indoors gave them an opportunity to clean out things in their house, to declutter. Shortly after the quarantine started in March 2020, the Goodwill lines wrapped around the corner as people took their unwanted items to donate. It came to a point where they were not taking any more donations for a while.
It is often easier to look back and imagine what should have been done. When school went to Distance Learning in March 2020, people assumed it would only be for a week or two. Some, however, planned for a lengthy shelter-at-home and developed a routine, including workouts, so that there was something to look forward to each day. Even a daily walk around the neighborhood for some fresh air could improve your mood, and a routine can help shake off some of those mental and emotional funks.
With a little more predictability, a school schedule that should be in place through June and more places opening up, creating a routine that works for you can give you the opportunity to experience the changes around us while creating positive memories that will last a lifetime.