Quarantined Mindfulness
By Emily Huang
I am seven weeks into quarantine, and as the days stretch infinitely onward, I’ve begun to understand the significance of practicing mindfulness. There are already so many things to be mindful about, and the current situation has presented a new set of such things.
For one, my own food waste. My awareness of my own eating habits has been heightened. As someone who is somewhat of a picky eater, I’ve discovered in quarantine a brand-new perspective on food and now view it through a rather different lens: while eating a meal, even if there are foods on my plate that I don’t appreciate as much, I find myself thinking about just how precious every bite of food is, given how scarce certain previously common food items now are, and how any food in general is now so much less accessible. Through this, I’ve been hit with the realization that I had been taking food for granted before this. Of course, I was aware before this point that, food-wise, I was in a place of privilege compared to others—I didn’t have to worry about where my next meal was going to come from. But now, even concepts such as rationing food, which were previously only hypothetically and lightheartedly mentioned, were now being seriously entertained; I was getting a faint taste of what it felt like to lose said privilege.
The other point of mindfulness that I’ve caught, I believe, is absolutely critical: mental health. Passing by the weeks one day after another after another, it may not feel like such a big deal to be inside. I’ve certainly been guilty of letting myself pass through the hours like they’re water, simply sleeping and doing some light work and lounging around, and for the most part, being lax with my outdoor time. Several times, I’ve looked up from my computer after having been engrossed in my work for a length of time only to find that the sun was already going down, and I reassured myself that it was too late to go outside anyway, and that I would just do so tomorrow, or whenever. Day to day, acting like such feels excusable, and it’s not such a big deal. If we really sit back and think about it, however, we’ve literally been inside for almost two months, and this objectively takes a toll on our mental health.
Especially during this time, mental health is a huge and delicate aspect of life that demands close attention and care—and yet, at the same time, it’s also a much bigger challenge to maintain when going outside is no longer a regular part of our daily routine, interacting in person with friends and anyone besides family is no longer an option, and life has moved into a mostly sedentary (and resultingly slothlike) state. One of the best solutions, then, is to GET OUTSIDE. There are no excuses, not work, not fatigue, not anything else. Mental and physical health must come before all else.
When I was on campus, I took being outside for granted, too. Never mind the outdoor activities or loitering around with friends in the sun—even the simple act of changing locations in the ten minutes between each class put me outside, in the fresh air and in motion, regardless of the weather. Even though we’re all living a rather different life now, there are still so many options available for getting yourself outside, and it’s suggested that you remain outside for at least half an hour for it to take any positive effect on your wellbeing. Go for a run, or a walk. Go biking. It doesn’t all have to be strict exercise. I’ve been trying to practice dance and poi outside (and ignoring the confused glances of my neighbors as I blast EDM and K-Pop). Heck, just sit outside and do your homework for an hour or two. Our bodies need fresh air to stay healthy, as well as our minds, and it is not permissible to simply stay inside indefinitely, no matter how okay we may feel about it in the moment. There is no such thing as being too busy—or, for that matter, being too ANYTHING—to be outside!
