Going to the grocery store during this time is pretty darn scary. I pulled up to my local Trader Joe’s and immediately saw the long line go throughout the strip mall with everyone in masks and six feet apart. I think for smaller stores like Trader Joe’s, this is a safe practice and also makes shopping much less scary. In other stores like Mariano’s and Jewel-Osco, some people still shop close to others and it’s a pain. At Trader Joe’s, they limit the number of people in the store and the offer hand sanitizer before and after your trip.

Here are the groceries I went out to get from Trader Joe’s:

1. Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza: Delicious, easy to make, filling, and doesn’t break the caloric bank. For only 200 calories, you could have seven of these. I’d say this is a good snack or side to add to a meal.

2. Trader Joe’s Mini Chicken Tacos: For anyone looking for Americanized-Mexican food, here’s your fix. Their mini chicken tacos are easy to heat up and will conquer your cravings. My Abuelita might not agree, but I think they’re great!

3. Cauliflower Gnocchi: This one seems pretty popular for low-carb eaters. I don’t really track carbs or anything like that because I think everything in moderation is healthy. Cauliflower gnocchi is comparable to regular gnocchi and you could make it anyway you want! They also have it in kale.

As much as I like to be informed and knowing everything that’s going on with this horrible disease, too much of anything isn’t a good thing. It’s important to stay informed, but overdoing it just causes more stress and anxiety for some. One of my friends started shutting off her phone almost everyday because she couldn’t stop herself from looking at the news or checking her bank account. In retrospect, this isn’t good for anyone’s mental health.

Lately, I’ve tried to do things or watch things that keep my mind off of everything going on. Sometimes I’ll be so interested in whatever I’m watching, reading, or doing and I’ll forget that things aren’t how they should be.

Here are a few things you could do to keep your mind off of the negativity:

1. Tie-dye something: Hopefully, you own white clothes or something you don’t mind bleaching because Amazon has every white sweatsuit on backorder for a few months. I made a tie-dye sweatsuit last week because I couldn’t fathom paying almost $500 for one from Cotton Citizen. It turned out pretty well! Remember to wear gloves if you have any and watch tutorials before doing so. 
2. Start a fire: Not a house fire but an outdoor fire with smores. I’ve been quarantined with my family and my dad started one in our fire pit last week. It was nice to get outside rather than all of us just scrolling around on our phones in the living room.
3. Cook or bake something: If you’re trying to keep your distance from stores altogether, make the most of what you already have in your fridge and pantry. We’ve been baking lots of cakes and making really good homemade soups at home lately. Illinois weather changes by the day so these soups are great for the colder days.

You might be spending lots of time staring at your screen with bad posture. This could lead to back aches, muscle pains, and more. You might want to invest in a Theracane Deep Pressure Massager. It’s easy to use and only weighs one pound!

During this time, the little things we took for granted are being missed. Walks to the lakefront, leisure window shopping, going to cafes – all of that is gone in the blink of an eye. The scary thing is that we won’t know when it will return. The biggest issue is that people are getting sick, passing away, losing jobs, and so on.

It’s hard to try and stay sane during all of this, especially when you’re a social butterfly and extrovert like I am. I love my alone time, but I also love hanging out with my friends. I used to go leisure grocery shopping. By that, I mean that I would go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes when I didn’t even need anything.

Here are a few ways I, and many others, are coping with social distancing.

1. Zoom calls: My friends and I are doing Zoom PowerPoint presentation nights. We all make a drink of our choice (I usually just go for wine) and make a funny PowerPoint about something and present it on Zoom in a group. It’s funny to watch what people come up with and it almost feels like you’re all together even when you’re not.

2. Limiting how often I go to the store: Grocery delivery can take up to days now, so I try to not go to the store more than once a week. When I do go, I wear gloves and a mask that my uncle got me. I ran out of gloves, so I’ve been picking everything up with a tissue or wipe and making sure I sanitize my hands as soon as I get in the car and then wash them when I’m home.

3. YouTube and TikTok: I’ll admit it, I used to claim TikTok could never compete with Vine. I must say I’m wrong. I like TikTok more than Vine. I like that it gives everyone’s videos a chance to be on the “For You Page” and that anyone’s video could go viral. 

To keep your immunity up at this time, check out Argentyn 23. It’s natural and provides immune support overall and everyone could use that right about now.