By: Maya Brunelli and Ella Marcus

Covid-19 has officially struck almost the entire world and everyone has been advised to lock-down in their homes. Government orders to stay inside have been incredibly difficult to enforce, causing a two week “social distancing” period to turn into a 75 days and counting quarantine. The Beaver community is thankfully able to accommodate and adapt to these crazy conditions, but that is not the case for every other student or teacher out there. While in quarantine, not everyone has a full online day of school, meaning lots of people are in need of activities and ideas for the countless days in the Q. Listed below are the top 10 ways to stay motivated during quarantine whether you have online school or not! 

1. Follow a routine:

Creating a routine for yourself is a helpful way to ensure that everyday you are completing important tasks. A routine helps to provide order and instruction to your day as well as allows you to maintain the smallest sense of “normality” in your everyday life. 

2. Sleep, sleep, sleep 

Sleep is the most desired activity of almost any teenager, however, with a little too much sleep comes a lot more laziness and unproductive activity. Try and go to bed at a reasonable hour and sleep as if you have a late start to school. Wake up with enough of your day left to see daylight and do something good for yourself. The more regulated your sleep is, the feeling of fatigue and drowsiness will go down tremendously. 

3. Change your clothes

As silly as this might sound, changing your clothes in the morning whether you have school or not can be a huge blessing in disguise. Sometimes you have to dress the part to be the part and this could not be more applicable to times right now. Get out of bed, put a new outfit on, and the productive feelings will immediately creep in.  

4. Eat breakfast 

Specifically if your school is partaking in virtual learning, eating breakfast goes along with following a routine. Get up in the morning and eat a solid breakfast so that you are energized and fueled for the day. Starting your day off with a good breakfast can go a long way, especially when most online students are spending their whole day locked up learning in one room. 

5. Eat well! 

Not only should eating three full meals remain consistent in your quarantine days, but you have the luxury of eating three home-cooked meals. Try new foods, make a new meal, maybe even try an uber healthy day. Regardless of what your preferences are, fuel your body for excellence so that getting through the day doesn’t feel so lethargic. 

6. Create daily “to-do” lists

Creating a daily “to-do” list is a great way to stay on top of all of your daily tasks. Not only will a to-do list help to ensure that you don’t forget about any assignments, but it will also help you budget your time well. Agendas are also a great way to split bigger assignments into smaller more manageable tasks!

7. Exercise! 

We might be in the midst of a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy spring weather. Going for walks, runs or bike rides with your family are a great way to safely enjoy some fresh air. These are also great ways to break up an otherwise tedious day. At home workout videos are also a great way to stay active while in quarantine.

8. Spend quality time with family 

While it’s easy to focus on the negatives of social distancing, try to make the best of it by spending some quality time with your family. This is a great time to play board games or card games, go on walks, cook dinners, or watch movies together. 

9. Take up a new hobby 

Let’s face it, most of us have a surplus of freetime now that we are stuck at home. If Netflix is starting to get old, you might want to consider picking up a new hobbie or two. This could be learning an instrument, reading a book, trying out a new recipe, or even just picking up a hula hoop. 

10. “Reward yourself” 

Self care is the new wave; Hop on the trend by rewarding yourself. Indulge in yummy foods, do a facemask, take a bubble bath, or even read a book. These little joys can be a great escape in an otherwise stressful time.