As someone who’s already toeing the line between homebody and recluse, the thought of an impending, state mandated quarantine didn’t seem that horrible as long as I could be with my boyfriend and dog. If you had asked me how I felt 48 days ago about the imminent lockdown, I would have said, “Piece of cake,” and smiled smugly, but today, on day 48, I regretfully won’t be eating any cake but my words, instead. 

Now that it’s mandatory I stay inside all the time, the wanderlust is real. Large gaps in my day are filled with the longing of brighter days, traveling to faraway places like New Zealand or Nepal. I scroll for what seems like hours, desperately trying to connect with my friends through their daily Instagram stories. I miss meeting people and exploring new places, but most significantly, I miss the inspiration and drive I so passionately felt before this sh*tshow. If you, like me, are finding yourself unable to find inspiration during this time, worry not. I’m here with some advice. 

• Rediscover an old hobby! This mandatory lockdown is the perfect time to make a new connection with the hobbies you used to love. I felt myself craving the process of physically creating something, so I ordered a set of acrylic paints, and I am now the proud owner of two, very mediocre quarantine paintings. I love them regardless.
• Reconnect with an old friend. One good thing I’ve noticed to come out of this horrible pandemic is the mending of broken or lost relationships. It warms my heart when I see two childhood friends reconnecting after decades of lost communication. There’s no better time to reach out to your former loved ones than right now,with all the destruction and uncertainty that come with Covid-19. 
• Watch a foreign film! If you’re like me and you’re preemptively mourning your summer travel plans, I suggest watching a good, foreign film. While watching a foreign movie can’t replace the real thing, it’s a good way to immerse yourself in another culture and if the movie is exceptionally visual, it can take you somewhere entirely new. 

• For an immersive and encapsulating depiction of Rome, watch The Great Beauty by Paolo Sorrentino. Sorrentino’s visceral and haphazard images create a striking and thoughtful visual narrative that somehow fit together perfectly.

• For a movie that is as stunningly shot as it is poetically intimate, watch Love Letter by Shunji Iwai. The cinematography and editing masterfully capture the dreaminess and melancholy of this layered love story. Iwai’s breathtaking imagery of Otaru, Japan is reason enough to watch this film! 
• For a film that will leave you with a slow but aggravating burn, watch Bong Joon-ho’s Mother. Bong is a master at blending genres, so you’ll have all your needs met with this tragic thriller. The director’s dark and irreverent style doesn’t take away from the beauty of Korea’s pastoral, southern landscape.