20 ways to celebrate a dear one’s birthday (during the COVID-19 quarantine)

Now more than ever, adults don’t expect anything special or different on their birthday. Some of us might not even be aware of what day and date it is, so everyone will be glad you remembered their birthday. Especially during such difficult and uncertain times, finding reasons to celebrate is pretty helpful in order to shift our attention to something joyful. Thus, it is important make sure not only to tell others when it is your birthday, but also let friends and family know when someone else’s birthday is, so that more wishes and small gestures are transacted between people. 

Here are some ideas to help you make someone’s birthday special, ranging from free and simple ones to a few that require more effort and budget.

How to prepare for a quarantine during Coronavirus

[ Original photo via Death to the Stock Photo by Tino Renato ]

Although I had started worrying and predicting a quarantine scenario since the COVID-19 was first spreading in China, I still went into panic mode when the time to go into quarantine came and I didn’t know how to prepare for it the adequate way.

The Coronavirus pandemic is new to us and as a result we don't yet have official answers to all our important questions. This uncertainty can be emotionally triggering for most people, especially for those suffering with anxiety and other mental illness. Having a general list of actions to rely to, might make things less difficult for everyone preparing to go into quarantine.

What does a quarantine mean for you?

Even if your state hasn’t required it yet, it would be wise to stay in as much as you can from this point onwards. You are still on time to slow down the spreading rhythm of this dangerous virus, thus protecting yourselves and your loved ones.

As a general rule, you will need enough of everything basic you and your family need to go through a 14 days minimum quarantine (or self isolation) without going out in case of getting sick. Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open, but why risk going outside until absolutely necessary?

Where to start?

How to consume information during a COVID-19 quarantine

While we have always been exposed to more news than we need, information is overwhelming us more than ever. Some of you could have no problem listening and reading horrible news all day every day, but many of people are fragile and this situation will take a toll on their mental health eventually. The bigger problem is that you might not even realise your symptoms are a result of extensive information consumption. Thus, it would be better to limit your intake before it is too late. 

Here are some of the most popular digital information outlets you might be dealing with every day this period and some advice on how to best handle them.

How to add coziness to your home this winter

Switching everything up for winter and preparing your home as if the apocalypse is coming might be a pretty much safe plan, but you certainly don’t want to add more mess to your home, because messy is not cozy.

While all cozy and warm things tend to normally be very bulky, it is possible to add warmth through different small tricks and additions, without particular fuss and big spending.

1. Neutral blankets and throws

Think white, beige, grey, camel and any neutral color for all the winter blankets and throws, especially those you keep by the sofa to curl up in the evenings. Not only won’t they interfere with your home style and holiday decorations, but it helps maintain a calm visual space. Even if you keep them out in the living room all the time, it won’t scream that much “mess”. This can be done in every home, no matter the color of your décor. Make sure to choose textured and soft throws for extra coziness.

How to find the best way to help someone

Every day there are people out there struggling, be it with small inconveniences or bigger life strokes.

For those you feel like helping out in some way, there's often the question of "How?". It's the same struggle, whether you don't know them very well or they're your best friend.

Sometimes the situation is so complicated or delicate, that you truly don't have the slightest idea as how to approach it. Other times you simply cannot figure out what the person in need would appreciate the most from you in that certain time in their life.

Of course every person is different and depending on what they are dealing with, you'll have to do your personal thinking and judging, but as a general guide, you might want to start with the following steps.

5 classes to add to your university schedule

You may already have too many classes scheduled for this year, to begin with. Also, your hobbies and social life barely fit into the few free hours left. How can you add more classes and keep your life together? Fear not because these particular classes will actually maximize your time and will add quality to your university experience. 

 

Here are the extra classes you should consider this year:

Book review - “Marina” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

About the book

"Marina" has a similar veil of mystery as “The shadow of the wind” by the same author, which I had read before. The plot is made of a dark history from the past, solved by two teenagers.

The history takes place in Barcelona, a city described in a very poetic way by the author, making it able for the readers to imagine sights, architecture and landscape. This effort was probably pretty intentional of the author, as not to make Barcelona boring for the readers, since used as a context in other books too.