Self Isolation and Teens

We understand that it can feel frustrating and lonely to be self isolating, and even more so when you are a teenager and used to being in a social environment every day. While we all take shelter in place in order to stay healthy, here are some suggestions on things to do! 

  1. Cook or bake something new.

This is a great opportunity to learn that secret family recipe or to try and make something new with the ingredients in your pantry! Websites like Supercook have suggestions on recipes you can make based on what you currently have in the house. At the very least, you need to try and make that whipped Dalgona coffee recipe everyone’s trying.

2. Pay attention to the moment.

This is a great time to practice mindfulness or try out meditation. Here is a grounding exercise to help you relax and be present in your body. 

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise: Sit down and take a couple of deep, slow breaths. Observe your surroundings. List 5 things you can see. List 4 things you can touch. List 3 things you can hear. List two things you can smell. And finally, observe one thing you can taste. Take the time to appreciate where you are, and your place within that space. 

3. Give your brain something new to work on! 

As we stay inside, our brains can sometimes get bored with routine. We know it can be tough to focus on schoolwork 24/7 so switch gears for a bit. Shake things up by doing something new, like learning the basics of a new language, reading a book in a genre you haven’t read before, or trying a new craft! Borrow eResources from the library to get started. 

Here are some suggestions to help you along the way: 

Mango Languages 

MPL’s Overdrive 

Try one of these suggestions or let us know how you've been keeping busy! Stay inside, be kind to yourself and to others, and take things day by day. We will get through this!