Graphic by Kylee Weber
Many people have started planning for the COVID-19 vaccine if they haven’t already received it. For many, COVID was more than a virus; it affected them mentally and completely changed their routine. Some people, like me, did not adjust well, needing to start medication and therapy. Others lost family members, while some were completely unfazed. No matter which one you were, you (hopefully) wore a mask and changed in some way. But I'm going to try and tell you some ways to come to peace with such a stressful year.
You want to be honest with yourself about how the pandemic affected your physical body. We all know we gained 15 pounds, if not more. There was not much of an opportunity when it came to self care during the lockdown. Mainly, your diet probably crashed. Try not to worry too much about this. I suggest doing small workouts, such as a walk every day or even some yoga. Have some peace knowing this summer isn't a “hot girl summer,” but instead, a time for COVID recovery.
It is completely okay to binge, stress eat or do the opposite. You cannot help by how you reacted in this state of stress. After the light workouts become more constant, you want to start on your palate; try to eat more veggies and a fruit with every meal. Lastly, you don't need to try to fit back in those pre-quarantine clothes. I’d consider getting a new wardrobe and keeping the old one so you can see progress to slowly fitting in the old stuff but feel comfortable doing so.
Mental health-wise, I'm sure you either went into a state of depression and cut off from people or the complete opposite and called family every day. You mentally did not have much control over what happened. A lot of people, including myself, started anxiety medication due to the high amounts of stress from the transition into the pandemic. I suggest starting therapy or going to a family member to talk. Some people find that meditating or reading helps, as well as going outside.
This lockdown experience affected everyone in different ways; figure out how it affected you and how you can recover.