As a high school senior, I was not thrilled to hear that I would be spending the rest of the year doing online lessons from my bedroom, or that prom, graduation, and my senior year dance recital were cancelled. I did not react totally reasonably, unless it is considered reasonable to stay in bed for days on end and re-watch “Twilight” for the eighteenth time in a week.

I may not seem like I am the best person to deliver this advice but experiencing the “quarantine funk” firsthand has allowed me to find some steps to get out of that slump.

Let yourself feel sad

It is easy to be constantly distracting yourself. There are always more Tik Toks, Netflix shows, and Youtube videos to watch. It might be hard to stop diverting your attention, but acknowledging your emotions is important.

Get out of bed

This one sounds simple enough, but time can get away from you and somehow you are still laying in bed with your sweats on at 4 p.m. Getting into the shower, a fresh set of clothes, and a change of scenery can give you some motivation to be productive.

Be active

At first, it might seem difficult to start doing physical activity when your normal gym is not open and you can not take your weekly barre class. There are so many great videos of yoga flows, HITT workouts, and training plans. If you want something lower intensity, you can just try going for a walk outside. I have found doing yoga in the morning and going for a walk gives me a great start to the day.

Reach out to your friends

It is hard not to feel lonely in a world full of social distancing and self-isolation. However, that does not mean you cannot stay connected with friends and family. Give them a call, shoot them a text, or set up a zoom conference. Everyone is going through similar things to you and it can help to talk about them.

Remember you do not have to be perfect

So, you stayed in bed all day or skipped working out. You did not get any work done and you forgot to call your aunt. No big deal! No one is expecting you to be perfect, and you are dealing with something scary. Do not blame yourself. Instead of becoming discouraged, try again tomorrow.

So, am I done binging “Twilight?” Probably not. However, after a few weeks of crying and self-pity, I am determined to work on myself, and slowly but surely, I’m digging myself out of the quarantine slump.