Flowers had bloomed and a gentle breeze had touched the new leaves of the trees. Spring has come and gone without anyone enjoying it. Our life has dramatically changed after the COVID-19 outbreak. People try not to go out if it is not necessary. Classes and work take place at home. We cancel appointments because beloved ones’ visits and physical contact with them could lead to infection. Therefore, we are all isolated unavoidably, spending most of our time at home. Enforced isolation due to an epidemic is quite new. It may feel strange and frustrating at first. Yet, people still find ways to manage their stress and boredom and to keep themselves and others safe. The Chonnam Tribune collected healthy and fun ideas which make your quarantine life more relaxing and abundant.

Productive Labor
    As many people are staying at home, they started to do some work which they previously would have relied on others to do, like preparing their own meals and making their own coffee. Some brilliant minds transformed this everyday labor into fun challenges by discovering recipes to make some deserts such as Dalgona coffee and soufflé omelette. Both require you to whip the ingredients more than 400 times to make it successfully and these challenging recipes make people whip until they are exhausted and then they post their success on their Instagram or YouTube. One glass of Dalgona coffee is great for killing time and it is also delicious.

 

 


    The chunk of time which was given to people so suddenly also woke up their spirit for craft. Traditional D.I.Y hobbies like gardening, carpentry, and sewing help people to bring new and vital creations to their daily life and also make them feel like they are still productive. Among these type of works, making masks, sanitizers and bar soaps is a new cultural trend. People make those and share them with others in a hope to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

Creative Artworks
    Art is always related to emotion. It is a way people express themselves and the expression takes an important part in human life especially when they are in limited or extreme conditions. People’s interest in art has increased after the COVID-19 break out and this led to buying art supplies and registering for online art classes. Enjoying coloring in a coloring book, doing crafts with an embroidery kit, and painting oil pastel and water colors are popular on social media platforms. If you think you are not familiar with art but want to know more, this chance could start with a coloring book or a beginners’ kit which provides guidelines and equipment for beginners. Whether you color a rainbow on a white piece of paper or embroider a French knot on a frame, you will find peace and fulfillment in your mind. The creation you make can also be a memorable record of the present time and could give you strength in the future.

 

 

Useful Contents to Consume
    Now the ideas mentioned above are all productive and related to making new things, but there are times when we are too exhausted to do things on our own or we just want to listen to what others say and take in something new. When that time comes, we usually turn on the TV or use our smartphone to surf the Internet. Consuming content like this for example listening to music, watching movies, or reading a text are natural ways which help us to spend time affluently. This kind of consumption is often neglected and even considered a waste of time, but watching a movie such as “Forrest Gump” on Netflix could be a huge relief to a person and it couple help inspire this person to live life like the character Forrest Gump and be productive again. If you want a good outcome than you need a good input. So do not feel guilty when you use streaming services like Netflix or Watcha or listen to music on YouTube. A variety of orchestra performances and musicals have been free to stream online during the pandemic. You can borrow e-books from local libraries. Now is a good time to learn new skills, languages and play instruments by using YouTube tutorial videos and online classes.
    The situation of forced isolation due to COVID-19 could continue in our near future. Online classes and working at home were the ideal future we dreamed. However, the current situation we are facing now is not that sweet. Unprepared distancing is just isolation. We need to learn how to fill up our time and we need to learn how to connect the gap between individuals. We should stay home but stay connected. We should be physically distanced but socially connected. Send messages via Kakaotalk. Make phone calls to your loved ones. Make them feel like we are together. As hope was the last thing remaining inside Pandora’s box, together we will always find light in the darkest time of our days.
 

By Na Min-a, Guest Reporter

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