How to prevent boredom in lockdown.

Being stuck in quarantine has become increasingly more difficult for many as we pass over a year of being stuck in our homes. The novelty of stimulus checks and Tiger King ran out and we find ourselves feeling trapped. Not being able to see your friends or travel or do the things you enjoy can be incredibly taxing on the mind. Unless you find ways to make the best of this troubling time. With social media it’s easy to stay in touch with others to a certain degree. I set out to interview several students from Lompoc to see how they feel about lockdown, how it affects their mental health, and what they would like to do or are doing to help make this situation more tolerable. 

Unsurprisingly out of the total sample, students regards towards being stuck at home were almost completely negative. However I noticed a pattern where some students went from irritated from not seeing their friends to complete depression and a possible link in between their hobbies and past times.

Friends are incredibly important although you can’t see them as much, doing something you have in common over FaceTime is a big help. Play video games together, watch a movie, even just having them in the background throughout the day can help alleviate the feeling of isolation.

Working on personal hobbies is incredibly important as well. Personally, I have tried being more creative. Changing things to the way I like it and making my own paintings and drawing feels very rewarding. Many of my interviewees have picked this up as well, expressing their own style and with nothing else to do why not. Being creative with anything you’re interested in is really beneficial: work out routines, cooking, gardening, as long as it’s something you enjoy that you can get lost in. 

Overall focuses on your friends and yourself, staying present in the moment instead of getting lost in “what if’s” and “I miss..”, we’ll get back to better days eventually. Going back to school is a big step forward, keep your head up and treat yourself. Just work on making it through the day.