Dear Delilah,

Quarantine has been beating me. My stress level is up, and I can’t sleep. I’ve never been more stressed or anxious in my life. What can I do to relieve some of my stress?

Sincerely,

Panicking

Dear Panicking,

I absolutely understand how you feel. I’ve dealt with a lot of anxiety in my life, and having to stay home hasn’t been helping much. Over the years, I’ve developed some things that have helped me calm down.

Pick up a hobby! Seems obvious, but it really does help. Taking your mind off the situation at hand and focusing on something else can do wonders! I personally have been non stop painting and playing video games. Some of the easiest hobbies to pick up while staying at home are cooking, baking, art, yoga, working out and writing. There are hundreds of websites and apps that can help you get into all of these. Personally, I like the app Meal Lime for my cooking recipes and All Recipes for baking. Down Dog is a phenomenal yoga app, but you do need a monthly subscription. You can also find routines on Instagram by search #dailyyoga. Tumblr has thousands of writing prompts for free that can help you get into the creative zone. If creative writing isn’t your thing, then try journaling. Emily Ley has some amazing diaries on her website.

Adopting a pet or hanging out with a pet you have already is always a great idea. Even a fish can lend tons of fun. You can upgrade their tanks and play with the lighting, and if you’re a total hippie like me, GloFish are your best friend! Now is the best time to adopt. You’ll have plenty of time to spend with your pet and get to know each other.

Online gaming is a great way to meet new people and develop friendships. I have an Xbox One and have been grinding Ark with some friends I met online. Some of my close friends and I have a group Minecraft server we’ve been expanding. Gaming is on more of the expensive side, but a great hobby if you can afford it.

Pen pals may seem a bit outdated, but they’re tons of fun. Writing your feelings and getting to know someone hundreds of miles away can be a real stress reliever. During the time of midterm exams, my cousin and best friend was hundreds of miles away in basic training. Writing him letters every day when I didn’t get to see him really helped me cope with my stress and reading his letters about all the dumb things that he dealt with really gave me a laugh. If you don’t have a family member you can write, there are websites that can help you find your person. 

Maybe writing isn’t your thing, but Facetime could be your best friend. Call a friend or family member and just talk. We all need someone right now.

Sometimes looking on the bright side isn’t the best thing. You shouldn’t minimize how you feel just because someone may have it worse. You are entitled to your feelings in this troubling time. We all are. And please know that this is temporary, and things will get better.

With Love,

Delilah