9 Ways to Include a Good Vibe into a Far-From-Ordinary Life
How do you get off the bed at 6 AM? The virtual class starts at 9 AM, so you stay in bed for about half an hour. An hour and a half later, you were about to listen to another recorded lecture. And then reality would hit you. Could this be the new normal?
You read a few chapters of novels that wouldn't make you look forward to the next day (or next week). Dashiell Hammett was a keen observer, as seen in the first few chapters of "The Maltese Falcon". Your good buddy, a huge fan of film noir, wondered why John Huston chose Humphrey Bogart to play (detective) Sam Spade in his big-screen adaptation of the novel. (The detective was like a blond satan.) You didn't finish the book because you chanced upon an amusing quiz (after browsing the Internet for about half an hour). Find out your dinosaur personality! You were hoping to be the easygoing Triceratops, but a few answers hinted that you could be close kin of T. rex. It soured your moment, which affected your entire day. Worse things happened during the last term, but this post-pandemic trial and error would frustrate you. Relax on the couch, but make that you get off it after an hour.
What you're about to read should keep you from becoming a jaded HD screen-office dweller. It should also make you forget about Albert Camus's other famed novel (about the plague). You must be resilient, but this post won't suggest a series of exercises. It will only take five minutes of your time, fifteen at the most. You don't have to do it all in a day, but you can try it during the weekend.
We Asked, You Wandered: Keeping Your Brain Active
Test your animal's knowledge. You might be thinking of cockroaches, which won't go away. It's a reminder to clean your room (and the rest of your home), but this is about the outdoors. You can afford to examine your backyard, if not the flora in the local park. You might be envious of the birds and insects, who don't have to observe social distancing, but the pandemic would bring out everyone's creative side. (You may not have read that news report about that newly-married couple. They made their vows on the road while the bride's father videoed the ceremony from a distance. The neighbors were looking at them from their windows, cheering them on.) If you're thinking of adopting a dog, then you might want to postpone it. (Some dogs are being trained to detect individuals who might be infected with the coronavirus.)
Take a (virtual) mission to Saturn (or Neptune). You may be too busy from the afternoon until late evening, which means you won't witness the clear sky at dusk. It's OK (if you forget it), as there are several books to plan your schedule next week (or the week after next). The later chapters of "2001: A Space Odyssey" described a one-man crew who endured the lonely voyage from Earth's moon to one of Saturn's satellites. What he discovered would make you want to get out before sunset. You might be wondering about Brad Pitt's struggles in Neptune, which is located in the remote part of the Solar System, prompting you to know more about that planet. Can a manned spacecraft make it that far? If you have doubts, watch the remake of "Flash Gordon".
Touch a blanket. You've been taught about static electricity, but you never knew that you could feel it after a blanket came out of the dryer. You've been warned about getting obsessed about it, which could make you forget about your responsibilities.
Will we ever vacation like this again? You're beginning to hate those romantic comedies, where the would-be lovers must travel the world before they end up in that warm embrace. It should make you wish for that warm evening on the beach. You're looking at the beach bummers, wishing that the next happening could be a titillating scene (from a romantic comedy). You become thirsty, prompting you to head to the fridge (and grab a can of beer). It could take some time before traveling would be allowed, but no one should stop you from looking at those picture-perfect images (while browsing the Internet). It would keep you from getting anxious and depressed.
Food-focused books (or TV shows). You've been told about the side effects of indulging in food, even if you've been exercising on a regular basis. If it should enable you to study for hours, then you must know about the danger of becoming overweight. Perhaps you need your mother to scold you (about eating too much), if not to hear your course mate's woes (on lack of money). It should make you concentrate on those food-focused books (or TV shows). If should inspire you to prepare a simple dish, if not a breakfast. You can ask your mother for tips.
Riddle you this, if not a taste of "anecdote". You studied the figures of expression last term, if not you learned from your buddies, all Literature majors, who became too mindful about their grammar (and everyone else's). They would make a pun of anything, which would amuse them. It's fine if you don't see the humor behind it, but it should be your cue for not being too absorbed about your problems. It's trivial, if not a big deal if you look at the big picture.
The party's not over yet. You've been safari-ed (or that was how an online game involving wild animals ended). It would better than Allan Quatermain's perilous trail in the desert (before reaching the peaks leading to King Solomon's treasure), as you enjoy the game with your course mate's. Are you done with the homework?
Hey, look! You didn't notice your course mate's slimmer figure until your last Zoom meeting. You also realize that one of your professors would notice your lack of attention during a recorded lecture. (You didn't see the similarities between "The Gods of Mars" and "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". You wished you were part of both tales.) And then you saw your bulging belly. You've been told about the slices of pizza that you lost count of. Could this be the best thing about quarantine? You wouldn't know.
Family follow-up discussion. It could be a somber gathering, which you must not avoid. The economy would be affected, and your sibling reminded everyone to keep that in mind during the (forthcoming) election. You might not worry about facing a (possible) recession this fall, as you think about a lecture room of a hundred students or less. You don't like a crowded room, so this might be the upside of social distancing. But wait. Your old man is apprehensive about the uncertainty of his company. It should prompt you not to live at the moment.
All Is Forgiven If You Only Return
You read Roger Cohen's insight on the hustle and hassle in New York. It reminds you of your hometown, where there's a lack of delivery trucks. And your university has to deal with uncollected garbage from time to time. You might be wishing for it, but don't. It shouldn't be the same (when the pandemic is over), where coursework might not be stressful. Former students would be green with envy.
