A few days ago, I asked my Instagram friends for the best and the worst parts of quarantine life. I decided to spend a somewhat crazy amount of time typing up some of your answers here for a couple reasons… first, they’re awesome. They’re real and they’re heartfelt and they’re funny and they’re sad, but they’re REAL, and we don’t get that enough from social. Second, to let you know YOU’RE NOT ALONE. No matter what you’re feeling or doing or not doing, many other people are feeling and doing and not doing the exact same thing. Be proud of what you can accomplish now, even if that is managing to brush your teeth twice a day, and do not beat yourself up over one single thing you aren’t accomplishing.

Can you guess what people miss most right now? HUGS! It’s surprising, but also not surprising. Perhaps one of those things I take for granted. The physical connection and feeling that you get from it that you don’t even realize the importance of in day to day life.

You know what else was common across the board – EVERYONE is tired of cooking and also confused on how there can possibly be SO. MANY. DISHES. ALL. DAY. LONG. Where are they coming from? And how does cooking one more full meal per day (lunch) create SO much more work?

Many people are feeling alone while many people are missing their usual alone time. Some people have more freedom to do things they love and some people have less. Some people HAVE to work and wish they didn’t while others can’t work and wish they could. Most people are one loud breath away from strangling their significant other or putting their children up for adoption while others are so thankful to have all their kids back home. Many people are thrilled to go braless and without makeup for the longest stretch ever and some people miss the routine of getting clean and dressed everyday.

Something else I found interesting was how many people are feeling an insanely relieving lack of pressure – not having to attend social engagements, not having to feel like you must go out to have fun, not having to feel guilty staying home and sewing. Many are also enjoying the slower pace. I truly hope that we remember all the “lessons” that are coming out of this and perhaps change our perspective on how we live and spend our time, but that’s a post for another day 🙂

Now I’m going to share some of your specific answers, starting with the worst parts and ending on a high note with the best. There were a lot of the same answers like the things mentioned above, so this isn’t all, but a handful! I hope you enjoy, and feel less alone.

The Worst parts of Quarantine Life

No money coming in

I miss restaurants and date night

Anxiety over it all

Staying home with my kid all day

Can’t find toilet paper!

My son not being able to see his friends

It feels unsafe, I take boiling showers and I don’t feel clean enough

I’m not quarantined, I still have to work. I want to say home and SEW

What to eat?!

Having to really stop and think before I walk out the door to run to the grocery store

Trying not to strangle my husband

Being scared to go to the store and having to wash everything

I can’t stop eating

Being in a different state than my 20 year old kids

Virtual hugs. They suck. I miss real ones.

A lot less alone time.

Knowing that everything is closed. Kind of a national mood of fear and sadness

Trying to get groceries safely

Too many people in my house

Homeschooling (insert crazy face emoji)

Cant hug my friends

Having all my kids home, including college aged

Being scared for my Dad

Cant see and hug my grandkids

The uncertainty

I miss my nieces and nephews!

Not being able to spend time with friends.

Not getting to hug my mom.

Im busier than ever

Being stuck at home with the kiddos 24/7

Nowhere to cry alone

Being alone

Not getting to eat out, missing local restaurants

Being an essential worker and not getting time to sew like my friends

Being alone 24/7

Not being able to hug family and friends

Fear of how the virus will affect us all

Not being able to buy the sh*t I want, like toilet paper

Impending dread of we are so not at the worst of this

extra dishes to wash

Not seeing family and friends

Grocery shopping

Unable to visit family

cant shop for fabric in persdon

My husband still has to go to work

Not hugging my adult children

Having to cook every night

ALL THE DISHES

Having to feed everyone three meals a day. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

No hugs from friends

Being afraid to go anywhere

everything!

I wish my kids would be quiet and entertain themselves

Not going to the gym

too much husband

hmm, depends on the day

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THE BEST PARTS OF QUARANTINE LIFE

Lots of sewing time!

Staying home with my kid all day

Zero pressure to attend social engagements

Spending everyday in the garden

Not feeling guilty for staying home and sewing

Seeing people come together

No appointments to drive to

Family is together and healthy

Being with my family

Relaxing. doing art, sleeping enough. Never thought I’d ever have a “break” again

My husband did walk with my yesterday!

Getting to spend family time at home without the pressure of feeling you should go out

Sewing, sewing, and more sewing!

Getting things done that I’ve put off for too long

Actually not strangling my husband!

Doing whatever I want

The kids and husband are home to help me garden

The slow pace of the day

More quilting time

All the awesome things people are doing online to entertain us

Sleeping in

Having someone to binge watch late night Netflix with when I can sleep since hours are flexible

Doing quiet things just for fun: family time, embroidery, reading, baking

I can go for says without washing my hair!

Nesting, cooking, sewing, painting!

no commute!

cooking more and enjoying it

Having all my kids home

Connecting to family

My house is SO CLEAN!

Getting stuff done

Being stuck at home with the kids

Working from home and spending all day with my dog

More sewing time!

No traffic

That I have enough and am OK and my friends and family are too

No need to make excuses for being reclusive

Already getting a tan

Still working

No bra for weeks on end!

Making the most of my time off work with my children

Sitting on the deck for hours

Chillin at the lake every weekend with my kids

Having my traveling husband home

no makeup!

More crafting time

Realizing how very insane my 4 kids are and seeing how very much they love each other

Having almost everything I need to stay put

Getting all the things done

I have an excuse to get groceries WITHOUT three kids!

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Stay safe and healthy, don’t forget to brush your teeth and change your clothes … occasionally!