Coping in the COVID-19 Shutdown

With a week off from posting, I thought I’d explore the lighter side of all this Corona virus talk. My last post was really specific on dating during the pandemic, but what about the rest of us. In talking with several friends this weekend and one in particular who had me rolling on the ground, I thought I’d put together almost a time capsule on how people are getting through this time.

COVID-19 Coping Principals

In talking to that friend of mine for an hour yesterday, she had me dying laughing about all this, but here are some ideas we covered in coping in this crisis.

• No FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) – She said it best. There is no FOMO, which is incredibly liberating. I mean it is hard to miss out on stuff when we are all staying inside or living a very insular lifestyle.
• Accepting the New Normal – I think most of us have accepted that where we are today may not be forever, but it will be for longer than we ever wanted. So, you have to just be where we are – at home.
• No One Is Living Their Best Life – I mean certainly some people have tried to continue the what I call, the competitive social media presence a la Push Up Challenges and Handstand Put on a Shirt Challenge whatever. However, it really doesn’t matter now. Save the movie star who has a pool and chef delivered meals, no one wants to see all the stuff you’ve made or if they do, they likely can do it themselves with the time on their hands. If it makes you feel better, great, but for the most part we don’t care…..
• It’s All Ok – I’m a firm believer that everyone is in a stressful situation. So, do what you need to do to get through this. I’m not advocating addictive behavior, however social isolation and economic hardship are real and not everyone can workout to feel good or bake a perfect loaf of break. So, take the judgment down a peg on yourself and others to just make it through all this.

How We Are Regressing

In some ways, having all this time on our hands has turned the clock back for us. I know for me, I’ve described this to many friends that this period reminds me so much of my Peace Corps days, when I would have mountains of time to kill. In the early days of my service, I felt extremely socially isolated, and even though I was surrounded by people, my lack of language skills and being a really young guy of 23 from a foreign land took me to be extremely regimented in my day. It also pushed me to be more creative in a non-technological way with no tv or even radio really, I read a ton of books, wrote a journal and stories, I juggled, and tons of other unconventional things until I had made real friends and could be out socially.

It seems like many people have taken that same approach in dealing with all this time. Here are some things I’ve heard or noticed on social media:

• Jigsaw Puzzles – when was the last time you did a jigsaw puzzle pre-COVID-19? I know when I was a teenager who didn’t drink, my family and I would do them and occasionally on our trips to the lake house. It seems like everyone is doing 1000-3000 piece puzzles out there. It’s great family fun, and something you and pick and put down when you have time.
• Baking Bread – Now, this one kinda annoys me, frankly, as there is literally no flour in the grocery store and hasn’t been for weeks, but I guess people are baking the shit out this time. Now, leave some flour for the rest of us, please!
• Cooking Together – What a novel concept? The family can actually cook a meal together now. Yes, it is kinda annoying seeing people with themed meals – I’m looking at you, Stephanie – but good for them for taking the time to not only break bread as a family but teach the kids that food doesn’t have to come from a box or a restaurant. My daughter has been incredibly creative in making meals, which makes me feel like she won’t starve at college next year.
• Recipe Sharing – My friend had me cracking up on this one, since I guess a lot of people are cooking more than ever there is a rise in Recipe Sharing via email. She was like – just Google it, already – but just another example of people rolling back the clock to cook new stuff.
• Self-Grooming or Not – I think it is funny that my buddies aren’t shaving and looking like mountain men or Tiger King (yeah, I mentioned it for the time capsule), while the ladies I know are having to get super creative in hair coloring, braiding and other forms of self-hair care. In the end, without salons or barbers, we are left to our own devices.
• Art/Creative Projects – I have a couple of co-workers who are producing a ton of art to pass their time. I’ve contemplated dusting off my Peace Corps memoir – Underneath the Mosquito Net – to get that creative writing bug active again.
• Scrapbooks/Photo Albums – For the non-millenials out there, before the advent of social media, people took pics with a camera, got them developed and put them in a book to look at later. Yep, so quaint, but I spoke with one friend this weekend that has sent me pics (see one below) from Junior High and High School – man I was skinny back then. I think its a cool trip down memory lane to find those pics and memories.

How We Have Connected Using New Tools

• Zoom and Video Calls – I mentioned Zoom on the dating post, but the advent of the Zoom Happy Hour (and business meeting) has become normal. I’m doing a watch party of The Last Dance tonight with some high school buddies via Zoom. I never would have even thought of that a month ago, and I can connect with my buddies in CA, UT and MI to do it. I will say that the Zoom Happy Hour is usually only an hour, as I don’t really feel the same energy to stay out until the wee hours of the morning by myself at my dining table – essentially drinking alone.

• Tik Tok – I know, I am the last to jump on the Tik Tok bandwagon, and no you will not see my rendition of the now famous song, but trust me – I’m a Savage, Classy, Bougie, Ratchet – just like all y’all. Seriously, though, Tik Tok has got so much play, that I’m sure Facebook will be buying it soon. For those not familiar, Tik Tok is a video sharing social media platform that is fun and involves music. Yes, I needed my daughter to explain it to me. Still, Tik Tok on!!
• Virtual Workouts – I have a trainer cousin ($29 for a 4 week class) and a Pilates instructor sister-in-law, and they among the entire fitness industry has moved their classes online via Zoom, IG and FB Live to share workouts with the masses. Again, this is a judgement free zone, but no better time to get in shape.

• Story Time – I have to share something my extended family has done during this pandemic. With so many kids at home, one of my cousins thought it would be a good idea to set a time every day to share a story with the rest of the family on Facebook Live. So, it has morphed into a time for the entire family to share old family stories, read classics like Cinderella (my daughter and I did this week), rap and karaoke COVID themed songs. It’s been super fun, and now, I think the adults like the time more than the kids.

So, do what you gotta do to get through. Challenge yourself or don’t. We will all go back to normal life and not use these outlet as much as we should.

How are you getting through?

Wegs