Quarantine Your Way

At first glance, it may seem like quarantine is just a long-winded stretch of boredom and lonesomeness. We’ve detached ourselves, at least physically, from our jobs, schools, social lives, and many of our hobbies. It seems like quarantine would definitively leave us all feeling pretty dejected and unhappy. Yet everyone reacts differently to huge shifts in their lives. Social butterflies must feel rather cocooned right now, but homebodies are probably more relaxed than ever. It’s a tough time for workaholics and shopaholics alike, unless they can transition their respective interests online; yet things are a lot simpler for couch potatoes and thrifty folks.

Of course, we can’t push everyone into boxes and explain away their likes and dislikes. All of our lives have been changed in one way in another, and that’s bound to be stressful. Yet throughout the course of social distancing, we all go through different sensations, emotions, and thoughts.

Quarantine initially felt like a strange reverie that I just couldn’t shake myself from. Not quite a nightmare, but definitely not a sweet dream. I tested positive for the Coronavirus in mid-March, and I struggled to acclimate myself to life in isolation. Thankfully my case was rather mild, but I was trying to keep myself from interacting with my two roommates as much as I could. I set up my remote login and began working from home, spending most of my day in my room. Looking back on it now, my memories from that time are still kind of a jumble. I’m not really sure what else I got up to. While my symptoms were very mild and definitely didn’t incapacitate me, I just didn’t feel like myself. I couldn’t associate what I was experiencing with any other point in my life. It didn’t feel like having the flu or a cold, getting sore after a workout, tensing up from stress or anxiety, or just a general lack of sleep. It was a whole new sensation of a worn-out body and a really foggy state of mind. After I recovered, which took about a week, I began to take control of quarantine. I tried new recipes, dusted off the guitar in the corner of my room, started a seriously intense home workout, and got to work on creating a fresh new website for my blog.

Yet quarantine still held its rainbow of new emotions for me. Stress came in waves when I felt like I was wasting the hours away, yet I’d get even more stressed out when I felt like I couldn’t relax because of the pressure to be productive. Being separated from friends and family created a strange blend of relief and sadness, mixed with a small twinge of fear. It was nice for a bit to let go of all the rules and appearances that come with socializing, but the longing for togetherness came quickly enough, as well as anxiety over little moments in relationships before social distancing. Irritation with tiny nuisances became much harder to distract myself from, which led to me getting reacquainted with my temper. A sense of calm and peace is always coupled with a small level of uncertainty over how things will turn out. Quarantine just completely brought a whole new meaning to the simple phrase, “How are you feeling?”

In choosing the songs for this playlist, I tried to represent the changes in sensation we go through while going through a major change, and how crises affect us all differently. Despite what we might be seeing on our Instagram and TikTok feeds, we don’t need to all become professional home chefs, reach out to our entire middle school grade, or become the fittest we’ve ever been. Taking advantage of this time is not only admirable but a crucial way to tide the wave while flattening the curve. Still, make sure to take advantage in the way that suits you best. It’s only natural that your quarantine self may look a little different than regular you. Quarantine your way, because hey, this is a stressful time. It’s okay for everyone to feel different from each other, and also different from themselves.

Arsonist’s Lullabye - This killer song from Hozier is an epic jam to blast through your house while keeping indoors. The fiercely pounding rhythms and piano get more and more palpable as the melody plays, as you lose yourself to the story of the lyrics. Next time you need some quarantine inspiration, use this song to feel like you’re in a movie instead of watching one.

Go Flex - Go Flex fuses a nostalgic acoustic vibe with edgy lyrics the way only Post Malone can. When I’m feeling the dog days of social distancing creeping in, this song makes me stop and smile about the good times. Plus a Post Malone jam is always sure to give you a confidence boost on the days you need it most.

September Song (acoustic) - JP Cooper’s voice epitomizes pure romance: at times husky, always smooth and clear. If stress starts to come on from staring at the same four walls, turn to this acoustic rendition of September Song for composure and relaxation.

Tiny Dancer - The piano and whimsical lyrics are a mental teleportation device to my happy place. Get lost in the melody as Elton works the keys, and give yourself a little magical time away from your couch.

I Just Don’t Care That Much - You ever get that feeling when every little thing gets on your nerves? When irritation becomes tangible on your skin, almost like a bunch of little bugs marching around, too many to flick off, and you just can’t focus on anything, and it’s all just too much…. Go to a private place, plug in your headphones, and take a few minutes to let Matt Maeson help you through it. This song is the ultimate release of all tension, with loud, raging lyrics and fast-paced guitar to get all that stress out of your system.

Dear Maria, Count Me In - This emo pop track holds an entire tale of stardom layered with metaphors. While it might not be perfect for dancing, it’s a rock-out gem, which makes it yet another great living room anthem. Have you got too much energy and don’t know what to do with it while being stuck at home? Let All Time Low take you on this electric guitar-heavy journey.

Play On - What I like about this tune is that it doesn’t really fall into any specific setting perfectly...except, of course, for quarantine, where anything goes. Don’t get me wrong: this song is gorgeous, a true hidden gem, that deserves to be heard. It’s just not really a driving song, dance track, or shower jam. It’s a uniquely inspirational experience, great for just lying down and getting lost in.

Sugar, We’re Going Down - The ideal rock anthem and one of Fall Out Boy’s greatest hits, this is the best for when you’re at your worst. It’s a feel-good yet edgy jam to get you back on track and stay hopeful that all this craziness will be over soon.

Don’t Throw Out My Legos - I felt this playlist would be incomplete without some AJR. I love the effort and meaning they put into every little piece of their music, creating authentically unique songs and albums. The only issue was that many of their awesome tracks are perfect for partying or pre-gaming - not much of a quarantine vibe. Don’t Throw Out My Legos struck a smooth balance between upbeat and down. It plays on wistful reminiscence in a cheery vibe that everyone can get into.

Fool - This is the Dance Around the Living room in Your Underwear anthem. Feel ultra-sassy, embracing any oncoming insanity with the help of Fitz and the Tantrums.

Rain - I recommend this awesome song by the Script for getting things done at your own pace. It’s definitely fast and upbeat, but in a leisurely way. If you’re feeling productive, but also not, you’ll need this to get you through lazily washing the dishes, painstakingly organizing your room, or washing a couple pairs of socks. The Script zone is stress-free, but still motivated. You’ve got this...but like, soon, okay?

Total Eclipse of the Heart - What better time than quarantine to sing at the top of your lungs to an epic power ballad? This song can be something of a guilty pleasure, and maybe not what your friends want to hear when you’re on the AUX in the Uber. But there’s no time like the present to feel like a rock star, bellowing with Bonnie Tyler in your bedroom.

Strings - Rainy days need a song that’s going to set the mood. The last thing you’d want from a playlist is to make you more upset, but sometimes a song that you can relate to is all that you need. The lyrics in this slow, enchanting piece poignantly depict feeling trapped or confused. Hopefully you’ll soon get past this downtime to rocking out in the mirror.

Resolve - The only wordless song on this list definitely earned its spot. It’s like a stretch for your mind when working from home or studying gets your eyes glazed over and your head drooping. The unique collision of instruments, which sounds as though an orchestra is embroiled in a gorgeous-sounding wrestling match, wholly absorbs the listener.

Fight ‘Til the End - This is your hype jam, your motivational theme song, your get-to-it anthem. Whatever it is you want to get done, Fight ‘Til the End is exactly what you’ve been looking for to put you in the mood. The lyrics and rhythmic chord progression push you to persevere and stay focused.