Quarantine Comforts

Quarantine, isolation and social distancing are no easy task, and I know that this abrupt change of lifestyle has been jarring and difficult for many of us. Reading, movies, singing, poetry and more have been helping me cope with the sudden shift. Art is comforting for many of us, and it can take on so many different forms. So, I decided to collect some art that brings comfort to my family and friends and post it here in the hopes of helping lift some spirits. Breathe, relax and enjoy!

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“I find comfort in listening to music, long walks and watching new films.”

- Anonymous

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“The work of art that has comforted me during this uncertain time is the TV show "Normal People." Here's the link to a trailer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1JQuWxt3cE. It's a Hulu and BBC show based off of Sally Rooney's novel. The book was a New York Times Bestseller and received many awards! I read the book a while ago and was a little unsatisfied by the ending. However, to watch real people act out the story was intriguing and so enjoyable. It is a heartwarming, raw, relatable depiction of college life and relationships. The two main characters, Connell and Marianne are from a small town of Ireland and both attend Trinity College in Dublin. They experience the ups and downs of life and lean on each other throughout their four years. The character development is admirable and makes you feel a little better about some of the everyday struggles "normal people" go through. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a romantic story that is not all unicorns and flowers, but rather realistic and quite complex at times. It's a pair you can't help but root for. Not to mention the fantastic portrayal of consensual sex!”

- Anonymous

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“Nature has been the only thing keeping me sane.” 

- Anonymous

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“Here are some pictures of my fish tanks the I have been working on doing quarantine that bring me joy and I think could technically be viewed as art even though they aren’t really traditionally viewed as art.”

- Anonymous

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Quarantine Spring 20, a playlist by Emma Harris on Spotify

um. ugh,

“One thing that picks me up when I am down is music. Being at home, especially, it's something that me and my family share on a daily basis (besides cooking). When we're working in the kitchen we have music on, and when I need a personal break I go out on a walk with my headphones in. I'll link you to my quarantine playlist. It's so interesting because I feel like making playlists nowadays is somewhat like  journaling? Idk. It's just a vacuum where I can dump my emotions and go to when I'm feeling down. And share with other people. <3″

- Anonymous

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“I’ve decided to really lean into this pandemic by looking to the past.  In Boccaccio’s tome, a group of Florentines evade the horrors of the Black Death by escaping to the countryside.  Ah yes, social distancing.  Pampinea comes up with a way to occupy the time, a way we all should remember in our own disquieting circumstances. Storytelling.  Sometimes we forget as pesky, small-headed English teachers look to dissect texts for secret meaning. Overanalyzing nearly everything, ugh. That the true joy of literature rests in the imagination.  Indulging the mind in a world far, far away and investing in its reality.  Reading can give us joy and comfort. And, in this particular case, we realize that we are not the first people to go through such a harrowing time.  Boccaccio and Camus and Defoe and more can teach us and show us glimpses of ourselves. Sing songs. Tell stories.  We'll make it to the other side.”

- Anonymous

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But if you were to follow my advice, this hotter part of the day would be spent, not in playing games (which inevitably bring anxiety to one of the players, without offering very much pleasure either to his opponent or the spectator), but in telling stories - an activity that may afford some amusement both to the narrator and to the company at large.

Pampinea “The Queen”. From Boccaccio The Decameron.

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“Creating art is the most relaxing thing on the planet for me, even though I’m very beginner, so it’s provided a great break from finals studying and internship replacing since my summer plans have been cancelled due to COVID.”

- Anonymous

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During quarantine I really wanted a venue to express myself and escape my home. So, I made a cosy landscape diorama to look at so I feel as if I am in the mountains.

- Anonymous

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“This is my computer background to remind me to stay right-brained and not get too analytical.”

- Anonymous

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“Believe it or not, this is what keeps me going...familia.  Seriously, all I have to do is glance over at these photos and the many others around the house and I am instantly transported to a very happy, calm place. One of the first things I do every morning when I wake up is turn on the portrait light above the family portrait.  I leave it on until I go to bed.  To me it’s symbolic-I want to keep that warm guiding light on my family all day.  Makes me feel good. It is nice to see the beautiful faces illuminated especially when there is currently so much uncertainty and sorrow in the world.”

- Anonymous

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Diamond Head by Ben Saber

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