Quarantine tips

 I am getting a lot of feedback from you all about the difficulty, uncertainty and boredom from quarantining.  I think this can be a valuable learning opportunity and I also want to give you some suggestions.

First, we have been talking about social structure and how it creates stability and continuity for us.  This structure leads to culture and shared meaning between people, even strangers.  This quarantine is a great example of that.  Think about how much you notice all of the structure that daily life used to provide:  Going to school and jobs, meeting with friends, clubs and sports.  We tend to go about our daily lives not noticing these patterns - like a fish swimming in water and not noticing the water.  All of these groups provide both a structure and a "self" identity.

Hopefully, this quarantine helps you see all the ways that we take for granted our interaction with each other.  Are there connections that you previously did not realize?

Second, here are some suggestions for weathering the quarantine.  I would recommend making a schedule so that you make time to do these regularly:

1.  Get outside.  You are not quarantining from fresh air; you are quarantining from large groups of people, especially aggregates.  Make this part of your regular schedule.  Walk around the block.  Or, go for a long walk.  See how far you can go.  Take a bike ride.  Explore different routes and areas.  Finally, drive to a hike.  Buffalo Creek is a nice 3 mile loop.  Independence Grove is beautiful.  If you are willing to go farther - Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda is really nice too.  If you get outside regularly, you can start to notice small changes in nature's cycle.    What can you see and hear?  One idea to focus your attention is to make a photo album of what you see each time you go out.  Here are 19 ways to get outside.  Do you have a favorite place outside?  Tell us in the comments section.
Here is research about how getting outside is beneficial to your health:

https://positivepsychology.com/positive-effects-of-nature/

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_nature_makes_you_kinder_happier_more_creative

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6104990/

2.  Stimulate your mind.  Don't use your classes as a task to get done.  Instead, see them as an escape.  Lose yourself in the learning.  Explore, ask questions and then research and learn.  You have so much at your fingertips.  If you don't find your classes engaging, then look for topics/subjects you like.  Feel inspired learning about something that you didn't know about.  Some books that I have read lately that I have really enjoyed:

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is an amazing but true story about a Harvard Law Grad who decided to work at a non-profit law firm defending people on death row who did not have enough money to defend themselves.  It is really an amazing book that is now a movie starring Michael B. Jordan.  I was planning to read this at the end of our semester.  Many colleges are reading it as part of their curriculum.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a great book about how to change habits.  Some of the book is sociological, like how societies can change habits of their people and how organizations like businesses or schools can change their habits.  And it is also psychological, like how individuals can make changes in their own habits.  It is a great book for you to change anything you want whether it is get heaty, or study better or anything like that.  But it may also be a good resource if you are in a leadership position.  It will help you think about how to make small changes in your organization that have a big impact.

 The Years That Matter Most by Paul Tough.  It's a sociological analysis of college and it is a scathing indictment of the college board (you might enjoy that part :-)

 Mindset by Carol Dweck is a book we will talk about in our lessons to come, but the book is worth reading fully.  It changed the way I think about myself learning but also it changed how I parent and how I teach.  It would be a great book to read before college.

This Book Is Not Required by Inge Bell and Bernard McGrane is a sociology book written for freshmen in college.  It covers a number of subjects that will confront you in college like: choosing a major, dating, moving away from home, returning back home, etc...  The book has both sociological insights as well as practical advice for transitioning to college.


Are there books that you would recommend?  Tell us in the comment section.


3. Be creative.  Find some outlets for you to be creative.  This might mean writing your own poetry, choreographing your own tik tok videos, making humorous videos (saw some great ones here), painting (I am painting my kid's bedroom), learn a musical instrument, make music playlists, take creative pics, start blogging, make a website that reviews something - movies/restaurants/books/sports teams/players.  Shakespeare likely wrote King Lear and others while the London theater was shut down because of bubonic plague.  Even if you are not into arts, be creative about making a new workout routine, rearrange your bedroom, re-organize something - closet/backpack/desk.  Learn to cook something.  Whatever you do, it doesn't have to be good - just stimulating.  It can be an opportunity to learn something new.

4.  Exercise.  This can be built into some of the ideas above (1-3).  Make time to get some exercise in.  Whether it is cardio or weight training it relieves stress and sharpens your mind.  It will help you sleep better, have more energy and boost your mood.  You can be creative too - shoot hoops in your driveway, dribble and do ball handling in the basement, do yoga using youtube, or make up a crossfit routine like pushups, situps, burpees, lunges and then record your progress.

5.  Socialize.  The quarantine is about people being in groups, but not about communicating with each other.  Call someone each day who you haven't talked to in a while - old friend/relative.  Facetime friends.  Talk to family members in a way that you haven't before - ask questions like what was your first job?  What what was your favorite childhood memory?  Humans are storytellers.  I think technology has gotten us away from that a bit and made us more visual - instagram, tik toc, etc... But stories tell us who we are and where we came from.  They help us connect and relate.  Interview a grandparent, a parent, or someone else and have a deep, sustained meaningful conversation.

6.  Occupy your hands.  There are therapeutic reasons for using our fingers - like people who knit or crochet, (Rainbow Loom anyone?).  You can also do puzzles, sudoku, or coloring books, stress balls, or fidget spinners.  Here is a list things to do to help occupy your hands.  From Psychology Today, Working With Your Hands Does Wonders For Your Brain and from CBS news, How Busy Hands Can Alter Your Brain Chemistry.

7.  Find a way to help.  Don't feel powerless or meaningless. You can help people.  Find a friend that needs help on school work or even a younger sibling.  Tutor them.  Do a chore around the house - dishes, laundry, clean the bathroom, sweep, vacuum.  Donate blood - there is a nationwide shortage of blood.  It is safe to donate.  Search Lifesource locations near you to donate blood.  Clean out a closet and donate what you do not need.  Go to the grocery store for an elderly neighbor or an at-risk person.

8. Make moments of peacefulness.  Carve out moments - even just a minute or two to be peaceful.  No media, no distractions.  Try to focus on yourself - acknowledge your feelings then relax.  Feel your tension loosen.  If you pray, this is a good time to do that, or you can meditate.  Do the bell meditations that we have done in class - even if only in your head. Ring the bell. Quiet the noise inside of you. Breath out your stress and worries.  Listen for the constant change. Every moment is different. Every moment is a step closer to getting past this outbreak. Listen for how far the noise travels. There is no telling how far your noise travels; you influence the world and you matter.  Create a home retreat.