What to Do During Social Distancing

By: Angelina N.

What is social distancing, and why is it important right now? 

Social distancing refers to going out minimally, avoiding physical contact with others, and refraining from large gatherings of people. It is used to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The contagiousness of a disease is measured based on the R0

"R Naught Ebola and Flu Diagram" by Kiera Campbell is licensed
under CC BY-SA 4.0

(pronounced “R naught”) value, or the average number of individuals that an infected person transmits the disease to. For diseases exceeding an R0 value of 1, such as COVID-19 (which has an R0 value of about 2.2), the number of infections can multiply rapidly because each infected person will infect more than one other person. In addition, COVID-19 has an incubation period of between two and 14 days, with the average being five days. This means that after contracting the disease, an individual will not exhibit symptoms for an average of five days but will still be contagious during this time frame. Since many infected people do not realize they are infected, they can unintentionally transmit the disease to people that they come into contact with. Actively social distancing is therefore necessary to prevent people from unknowingly infecting those with compromised immune systems or older individuals, who are much more likely to experience severe and possibly fatal symptoms. By taking precautionary measures, the number of infections can be reduced significantly. This also alleviates the burden on hospitals, which may experience a shortage of supplies, equipment, or staff otherwise. 

Although practicing social distancing is beneficial to the community at large, spending most of your time at home may seem like an incredibly difficult and dull adjustment. However, instead of viewing it as a major impediment to social contact and various forms of entertainment, you should view it as an opportunity to accomplish tasks you normally wouldn’t have the time for. Below is a list of ideas of how to spend your period of social distancing in both fun and/or productive ways. 

Find a fun mental stimulus 

Doing a mentally stimulating activity is a great way to combat boredom. 

• Play a board game: Options include Monopoly, chess, Scrabble, etc. — the choices are endless! 
• Go old-fashioned: Try your hand at Sudoku, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, brainteasers, or crafts (online DIY videos are a great source of inspiration). 
• Write a short story or poem: Brainstorm ideas that you could turn into a piece of writing. 
  

Take time for self-care 

Since most events have been cancelled, your schedule is most likely cleared right now. Instead of sinking into boredom, you should see it as a calm refuge from the chaos and incessant hassle of normal life. Now is a great time for you to reflect on your mental and physical health. 

• Practice meditation: Meditation is focusing on being more present and aware in all aspects of daily life through techniques such as mindfulness. It has been scientifically proven to be conducive to both mental and physical health, with some of its benefits being lower blood pressure and stress levels, improved sleep and memory, and a stronger immune system. There are numerous meditation apps that can be downloaded with the press of a button (Waking Up, Headspace, Calm, and many more), so meditation is a practice that can be conveniently incorporated into your daily routine. 
• Self-reflect: Oftentimes, we get so caught up in seemingly endless tasks, whether that be

  

  Pixabay license- no attribution required

  schoolwork deadlines or upcoming exams, that life seems like a ceaseless “this, that, this, that” and so on so forth. During social distancing, it may seem like everything has suddenly come to a standstill, which is a chance for you to look back on the past few months and plan for the future. Take some time to reflect on your personal growth and accomplishments, as well as what you are still working towards. Set goals for yourself and determine how you will reach them. Jot these ideas down in a notebook, or type them on your computer for future reference. 
• Do what you enjoy: This last one is simple — spend time doing activities that you love! This may be different for every person; it could be spending more time with family, having a movie night with popcorn, or reading a book that’s been on your to-read list for some time. 
  

Start good habits 

It can be hard to incorporate new habits during most of the year because we are often too occupied to feel motivated to do so. Now is the time to pick up good habits that can have a positive impact throughout the rest of your life. 

• Stay active: Staying at home all day makes it easy to fall into a sedentary routine. However,

  

  Pixabay license- no attribution required

  social distancing does not necessarily mean refraining from leaving the house entirely; in fact, it’s a great idea to go outside for a walk or a run in a park or other uncrowded areas during the day. There are also many great at-home workout videos online that provide fun and engaging ways to be active. Learning creative ways to exercise and experiencing the rewards of being physically active may motivate you to include it as a regular part of your routine in the future. 
  
• Eat healthy: A great way to use your spare time is to learn about nutrition and creative healthy recipes. Experiment with various dishes, and determine what works best for you. This may help elevate your consciousness about healthy eating habits in the long-term, which will beneficially impact your life in countless ways. 
  

Do some extra studying 

Since after-school events, most extracurriculars, and transportation time have probably been taken out of your schedule, there is now plenty of extra time to study, even if your face-to-face school is requiring you to attend virtual sessions. 

• Study for AP classes: AP exam season is coming up, which means that it’s a good time to start

  

  Pixabay license- no attribution required

  reviewing information from last semester. It is also a good idea to keep up with College Board’s updates on modifications to the AP exams this year. College Board has already posted the changes to every AP course curriculum, along with the general structure of the altered exams. Make sure to check their website to avoid studying material you are no longer responsible for and to be prepared for this year’s test format. 
• Do some SAT and/or ACT practice: Use this time to read some SAT/ACT prep books, as they contain helpful techniques for succeeding on these standardized tests. Once you’ve reviewed these techniques, take a few practice exams; these are lengthy and typically difficult to fit in with other obligations, so now is the perfect time to try them. 

Learn something new 

If you’re still having a hard time deciding what to do, it may be a good idea to try something completely new and possibly discover new interests in the process. Ideas include learning some magic tricks, trying out calligraphy, or learning a new language through Duolingo. If you’re still having a hard time choosing, there are great sources of inspiration all over the Internet. 

Donate for a good cause 

Taking social distancing seriously is already a great way to protect the well-being of those around you, but you can take it a step further by donating during this time of need. 

Pixabay license- no
attribution required

• Donate blood: Due to the ongoing pandemic, blood drives have been cancelled, meaning that there is currently a severe blood shortage. If you are interested in donating blood, check out the requirements for a student blood donor using this link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/info-for-student-donors.html 
• Donate to a food bank: Families who face food insecurity are especially vulnerable during this time, with grocery store supplies being depleted rapidly. If possible, consider donating even small instant food packages, candy bars, or personal hygiene products; although it may be difficult to donate in bulk quantity right now, even the smallest contributions can make a difference. 

Social distancing may seem extremely monotonous, but it is actually a great chance to try fun at-home activities, take time for self-reflection, and get ahead in schoolwork and studying. So take advantage of this time to plan out a list of to-dos and start checking it off! 

Works Cited 

Caddy, Becca. “Best Meditation Apps: Practice Mindfulness with Headspace, Calm and More.” 

TechRadar, TechRadar, 21 Mar. 2020, www.techradar.com/news/best-meditation-apps.

Cascella M, Rajnik M, Cuomo A, et al. Features, Evaluation and Treatment Coronavirus 

(COVID-19) [Updated 2020 Mar 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): 

StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/ 

Hersh, Erica. “Coronavirus Incubation Period: How Long Before Symptoms Appear?” Healthline, 

Healthline Media, 19 Mar. 2020, 

www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-incubation-period. 

“185_factsheet_social_distancing.Pdf.” Santa Clara County Public Health Department. 

“What Is R0?: Gauging Contagious Infections.” Healthline, 

www.healthline.com/health/r-nought-reproduction-number.

Vongkiatkajorn, Kanyakrit, and Laura Daily. “How You Can Help during the Coronavirus 

Outbreak.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 21 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/21/how-you-can-help-during-coronavirus/?arc404=true.