Cabin Fever? Practical Suggestions for how to Wile Away Your Quarantine

Sing. Whether you’re alone, or with family, what better way to trim the tension than with some good old fashioned karaoke sessions?

Dance. Sometimes singing isn’t enough. You’ve gotta kick off your Sunday shoes and cut footloose, too.

Laugh. Watch some Muppets. Or old Carol Burnett sketches. Or whatever other brand of silliness floats your boat. We need nothing right now like a good laugh, a bit of a distraction.

All of the above combined. Because The Muppets have musical numbers that can be applied to literally any life situation, of course there is one that is perfect for right now:

Learn a skill. How to sew. How to make meringue. How to origami. How to actually cook using dried beans… the possibilities are endless. Or, brush up on an old skill! If I end up in quarantine, there will be a pile of sewing projects calling my name. Not to mention writing, baking, etc.,

Write everyone you know a letter. Preferably by hand, but I guess email is OK too.

Build a pillow/blanket fort. But seriously, if you haven’t already done this, what kind of quarantine are you even living? It should have been the first thing you did.

Contemplate the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. In your blanket fort. Bring a pen and paper with you. Or crayons… who is to say crayons aren’t better for such contemplation than a fancy fountain pen?

Read all the books. If you are anything like me, there are way too many books on your own bookshelf that you haven’t read. NOW IS THE TIME, YOU GUYS. Put a dent in that TBR list!

Don’t neglect fresh air. You’re allowed to go outside. And it IS spring. Hit up your back yard and make friends with all the little flowers that most people consider to be weeds. Take a brisk walk. Fly a kite. Try turning a cartwheel. Or not. But just get out and breathe a bit!

Turn off the news and social media. For serious. I am 100% sure that the level of panic any given citizen experiences is directly related to the amount of time they spend flicking through their Facebook feed and watching CNN. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be concerned, or keep informed. Just limit how much of this madness you take in. Because it is a LOT of madness.

Watch one of those insanely long movies that feels kind of like a waste of time on an ordinary day. You know… Ben Hur, or Gone With The Wind, or The Sound of Music. Or go for a miniseries. Anne of Green Gables! Or Cranford! In an age of binge-watching, this won’t be much of a revolutionary idea for some people. But for others, those of you who are a little better at living real life than the rest of us, well… now is the perfect time to catch up on time-consuming entertainment options.

Clean everything. If this time ends, and your house is not as spotless as it has ever been, what will your excuse be? There shouldn’t be one cobweb or dustbunny. There shouldn’t be a single article of clothing in your drawers or closet that you know you’ll never wear again. Is cleaning fun? Not much. But the feeling afterward is so satisfying. In any event, no one is allowed to complain that they’re bored as long as there’s still vacuuming and dusting that needs to be done. You’re not seven years old, and I’m not your mother, but somebody needed to say it.