Yep, we’re still social distancing. I know, it’s getting old. But here’s the thing - staying home is saving lives. Staying home is buying time for scientists and medical professionals to figure out how to fight this whole COVID-19 thing. Staying home is the best thing we can do for the world right now, and it’s the least we can do for each other as global citizens. Just because we’re staying home doesn’t mean life has to become boring, lonely, or sad - with a new perspective and a positive attitude, we can enjoy our time in quarantine!

If you miss going to the gym…

Any room in your home can become a gym where the class options are endless! Check out Instagram for some virtual yoga classes (I highly recommend @madisonlaurelyoga), sign up for a fitness program such as Beachbody, or purchase some equipment to finally make that garage gym you’ve been thinking about. Maybe there’s a type of class you’ve always wanted to try, but you’ve never been able to attend- these days you can find any type of exercise you want on YouTube for free! Try out a Zumba class, Pilates, or boxing from the comfort of your home - if you like it, now you’ll know to sign up for more classes after quarantine is over!

If you miss hanging out with friends…

Pretend like you moved and now all of your friends are long distance (even if they live 15 minutes away)- distance doesn’t mean you have to stop being friends, you just have to find new ways to stay connected! Set up weekly phone dates or group game nights via Zoom- with games like HeadsUp and Scattegories, the fun times will make you forget that you’re not in the same room!

If you miss traveling…

Just because the world is now the size of your house doesn’t mean you have to stop exploring. Is there a specific location you were planning on traveling to this year? A place you’ve always wanted to go and never had the opportunity? Plan a trip - from home. If you’ve always wanted to visit New York City, spend the day pretending like you’re in the Big Apple! Eat some New York style pizza, go on a virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art or the Guggenheim Museum (or both!), and finish the day with a classic Broadway musical (movie) like the Newsies. Bummed your trip to Paris was canceled? Put on your beret and learn to make crêpes after your virtual tour of Musée d’Orsay, where you can see Monet’s beautiful artwork. And if you’re still craving adventure after your world tour, just know that the world will be open for exploring again one day - and now is the perfect time to make a list of all of the places you want to go when it does open!

If you miss going out to eat…

While you really can’t beat having an incredible chef make your food, now is the perfect time to improve your own cooking skills! Is a restaurant you love currently closed and you’re missing your favorite dish? Look for a similar recipe online and try it out! It’s always fun to add a new recipe to your collection. And if the recipe turns out poorly, take that opportunity to try out a new restaurant around town- restaurants are one of the hardest hit businesses at this time and they need our help! Visit your favorites and don’t forget to try out some new ones- you never know where you might meet your next favorite dish.

If you miss having a full to-do list…

For many of us, all of this free time was a nice break at first but quickly led to feeling unproductive and, quite frankly, uncomfortable. But how many times over the years have you had an idea pass through your mind, only to ultimately decide that you don’t have time for it? How often do you shrug off goals because they seem farfetched, because who has time for that these days? Well… now you have time. You have time to finally learn piano, or just learn and perfect a few songs that you can whip out from time to time. You have time to catch up on making those years in review Shutterfly books, with stories and printed pictures finding a home instead of hiding in a file on your computer.

You can download Duolingo and learn Italian - so when you go to Italy, you’ll know how to order gelato (and eat it 3 times a day - that’s how it works in Italy, right?). You can send a list of questions to your elderly parents or grandparents so you can learn more about them and their lives, questions about growing up in a time that was so drastically different than this one, and what they want their great-grandchildren to know. You can read a book on gardening and start planting that garden you’ve always wanted. Make decisions today that you’ll be proud of years from now. It’s unlikely that you’ll have time like this again - make the most of it!

The truth is, there has never been a time that we, as a world, have been better equipped to stay home for an extended period of time. With all of the technology that we have readily available, we are able to stay in touch with our loved ones, entertain and educate ourselves, and continue moving forward. Staying home can feel like a burden unless we choose to see it as a gift - a gift that will give back to all of us.