Stuck in the first few months of the pandemic, it had been very difficult to keep our cool. For many, it had been long suffocating months, with movements and interaction with other people very limited.
Fortunately, with the easing up of some restrictions in several states, there are now activities that can be occasionally enjoyed with safety precautions. Finally, we can enjoy a part of our previous routines. Here’s a suggestion for your weekend. Don’t forget your face masks so that if the establishment you want to enter requires it, you wouldn’t get kicked out. It’s also a form of courtesy and respect for the other people who are sharing the public space with you.
Wake up early and go for a run
Parks and the outdoors had been among the spaces left available to the public even in the earlier phases of the quarantine. People were encouraged to keep fit and running or cycling are among the few alternatives to going to the gym. If you had been doing this throughout the lockdowns, good for you. If you have not, it’s time to exercise those lungs again and heart again
Get some brunch at your favorite café
Many restaurants and food hubs have now reopened, offering outdoor seating. There are just some strict guidelines you need to follow. Be sure to wipe down any surface you will sit on and put your things on. Use rubbing alcohol, as most wet wipes do not have a high percentage of alcohol. If you are eating at a café, you could opt to bring your own utensils if you’re wary of using what is offered to the public. But if you aren’t comfortable consuming food prepared by someone else other than you, you can pack your food and eat out at a park. Or maybe sit somewhere you could observe passersby, finally seeing other people again despite not being able to interact with them closely.
Get a haircut
Find an open hair salon and finally get your hair done by a professional. You’ve probably relied on your partner’s, or maybe just your own, paper-cutting ability in the past months. Get the awful job fixed. Get your conditioned, dye it. Do whatever you feel like doing to it. We thought cutting hair is easy. Now we have all learned to appreciate the convenience of having salons that we’ve been taking for granted before.
Enjoy the outdoor breeze
After your haircut, take a long walk. Feel the difference of how it had been before when you had been rushing to and from your work, unable to see your surroundings. See what you missed the past months, see what you had never seen because you were busy.
If you have a car, take a long drive to the suburbs. Take in the calm outdoors. If you had never been to their museums and historical landmarks, check them out. While not all have probably reopened, some states have already allowed the reopening of recreational areas that do not cram people in a small space. Now is the best time to be a tourist in your own country.
Prepare to hunker down once again
At the end of the day, get your essentials done, buy enough groceries for two weeks, and get comfortable in your home. It’s always a good move to do self-isolation for a few days after having gone out because even with all the restrictions easing, the health crisis has not been resolved. Monitor your health for at least two weeks. Ease back into your work from home routine knowing that there is still a world out there, changing and evolving.
Write
This is just a bonus, but it’s a nice way to end a day. Open your journal, or start one if you haven’t, and log in your thoughts and feelings for the day. Not only will it relieve you of how you felt while seeing and maybe missing your previous routines. You will also have something to show to your future grandchildren. Just like the people who survived history’s greatest pandemics, feel that you are part of this monumental phase. Survive it and have your personal story to tell your family in the future. This is also necessary for future generations to learn and not make the same mistakes we might have done.
The world is opening up in phases. Hold on to your patience just a little more. At least there are now more activities we could enjoy to appease our sanity. Go out once in a while but with extreme caution. Your safety should be your priority in everything you do.
