A look at #QuarantineDiaries and the ways the internet is trying to cope

If nobody’s done it since the quarantine, let me be the first to ask you, “How are you?” We’ve all been through a rough time—some more than others. For those of us who are in the safety of our own homes, time spent indoors is a toss between being a be-er and do-er. Restless, some people have resorted to some activities that seem to apply the logic: what happens in quarantine, stays in quarantine. Funny, creative or ridiculous, here are the some of the stories we’ve seen posted under #QuarantineDiaries.

DIY home projects

Fancy yourself a budding interior designer? Apparently, some people have some supplies to tinker with their home decor and create ornaments. With a little paint and colored lighting, Twitter user @Young__Prince1 tried to bring the beach into her room. 

While there are those who are crafting homemade face masks, there are those who have been upcycling things like bottles into decorations.  

Photoshoots at home

While some of us have been keeping away from the make-up and wearing our rattiest clothes, there are those who pencilled in a photoshoot on their schedule. @Jalen_NoRose shared the one-man production that took place in his bedroom. And following the rules of social distancing, his chosen models were him, himself and he.  

But not everyone’s dressing up to get spread-worthy shots of themselves. Anton Magallanes tweeted photos he took of their baby. It looks like this little Snow White stocked on some apples this quarantine. 

Quarantine themed birthdays

One of eyebrow-raising trends that we were able to see was the incorporation of the quarantine as a theme for birthdays celebrated while at home. Proud grandmother @heygirlhey999 shares that for the first birthday of her grandson, they hosted a group video chat and the baby received online gifts. She writes, “We’re trying to make the most of the situation, I thought starting new family traditions would keep our minds occupied with making happy memories.” We can’t say that we agree with integrating the pandemic into family traditions.

But this COVID-19th birthday cake seems to tell us that for some people, not taking the virus seriously is their way of living through this difficult time. We only hope they’re strictly following health and safety precautions at the very least. 

Shaved heads

To keep, or not to keep—that is the hair question while under quarantine. A number of people are letting their hair grow wild—from pits to pubes. And the yin to that yang are the people shaving it all off. The Gonzales family shows us how they’re adopting a new motto: the family that shaves together, stays together.

On the other hand, this dad seems to be regretting the decision to let his daughter be his at-home barber after this trim gone wrong.

Weird meals

Despite how there are marginalized sectors who are in need of help to purchase food and cook meals, there are those who seem to be making the weirdest dishes in a misguided attempt to stay safe from COVID-19 or just for the hell of it. An example is this unappetizing combination of milk and onions. Just thinking about it is enough to give you the chills.

One Twitter user shared that her mother has been taking cues from WhatsApp mom group chats to get anti-COVID-19 recipes. We can imagine the horror.

Unconventional skills

Social media has been overflowing with how-to and what-do guides for the past few weeks. Not everyone’s tried learning a new skill but it seems we all have that friend who’s attempting to bake and cross stitch. However, there are those who are learning something more unusual. Twitter user Elina seems determined to be an expert in coconut scraping. 

Pottery is @msamson56’s pick. Plastic kiddie pottery wheel isn’t a thing we knew existed but it looks like this mom is enjoying it.

What’s your #QuarantineDiaries entry? It’s okay to have your own fun on but it’s also the time to be sensitive and to remain critical.

 

Art by Tricia Guevara

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Amrie Cruz: Amrie is a nonbinary writer who likes to talk about politics and viral animal videos. They have a dog daughter named Cassie who doesn’t go to school.