As Americans hunker down, presumably for weeks on end, it’s difficult to determine what we can do: what we can do to help each other when we’re barricaded in our homes, what we can do to make ourselves feel less restricted. There are few worse feelings than the feeling of isolation, and few worse beliefs than the belief that we’re helpless. But here’s the thing: we’re not truly isolated, and we’re not truly helpless.
Here, then, are a few plans you should make today:
1. Call five friends and see how they’re doing. I remember being stuck in my dorm during a massive blizzard during law school. I didn’t have a roommate, and going outside wasn’t a possibility. There are only so many Becker re-runs one can take before one begins to go quietly mad. These days, there are a lot of people feeling isolated. But you have a phone. You have parents and grandparents and siblings and friends. Make it a daily task to spend five minutes on the phone with five of them. Everyone involved will feel a hell of a lot better. And that matters a lot right now.
2. Find out if an elderly neighbor or relative needs grocery or pharmacy goods and help them out. If you’re young and healthy, that’s great. There are plenty of folks who aren’t. Many of them are putting themselves in increased danger by going to the grocery store or pharmacy, and don’t have time to wait for a delivery service to bring by their necessities. If you can, take the time to shop – with appropriate social distancing – on their behalf, and drop off the stuff they need.
3. Buy a gift card. Small businesses are getting crushed right now. Many have been shut by local governments, and even the ones that haven’t are being destroyed by Americans following protocol and staying away from crowds. This means that if you have disposable income, you should seriously consider buying a gift card from a local business and using it later – or shopping online from them. It’s essentially an advance for businesses that could certainly use the hand right now.
4. Go for a walk. The walls begin to close in when you stay indoors too long. If the weather permits, let the sunshine and blue sky remind you that you’re still alive, and that the world is a rather glorious place. In our screen-driven world, it’s nearly impossible to escape the constant reloading of infection statistics. Instead, turn it all off and go for a walk. Plus, if you have kids, they’ll go totally insane if you don’t.
5. Enroll in an online course. Now is a wonderful time to do some learning. Why not enroll in that online course you’ve been wanting to for so long now? Actively engaging your mind is a fantastic way to enrich yourself and your future job prospects when our national nightmare comes to an end.
To watch American life upended in an unprecedented way is difficult. But we can get through this together – even if we’re apart. Let’s just be conscious of reaching out to each other – social distancing is actually physical distancing, not social distancing.