I haven’t been outside since Saint Patrick’s Day 2020.

And no, I did not spend my last hours of freedom as one usually would on any other March 17th, drinking Bailey’s Irish Cream and singing old Irish hymns with friends.

Quite the opposite, actually.

After my dentist appointment at 3pm, I went straight back to my parent’s place and prepared for self-isolation.

I debated going back to NYC, but it’s easier for me to practice social distancing out on Long Island. Residences out here are farther apart from each other, there’s not a lot of pedestrian traffic, and, moreover, if you don’t have a car (or a license) you can’t really get too far.

I’m not going to lie, I hate this.

The most I’ve done since March 17th was go out to get the mail, which is like three feet away from the door.

I’m lucky that I can work my full time job from home, but I miss being around my coworkers IRL. Zoom video chatting helps, but the energy isn’t the same.

And frankly, I’m getting tired of answering the door with gloves on and tediously transferring my Seamless delivery food from the restaurant’s tupperware to my parent’s dinnerware, hoping no germs touch the dining room table in the process.

I’ve run out of my favorite lemon ginger tea, and I can’t just waltz over to Target to get more because they’ve sold out.

My lips have started to sting and peel, and my acne is out of control because I’ve been stressing out so much over the uncertainty of this whole pandemic situation.

Anxiety levels. Do they have a limit? If so, my body doesn’t know them.

My muscles are so tense from a combination of slouching in my mom’s office chair, sprawling out in awkward positions on the couch while binge-watching Hulu, and contorting my neck while scrolling through Instagram in bed.

Coronavirus, please escort yourself back to hell where you belong.

I think the only thing that is keeping me ever-so-slightly sane is music. Yesterday, I jammed out to a bunch of my favorite love songs while scrubbing the dandruff (another possible symptom of my anxiousness) out of my hair in the shower and it felt amazing.

So, instead of the spring playlist I was planning to share for today’s blog post, I present to you a quarantine playlist to go along with this first installment of the “Quarantine Diaries.”

These are some of the most recent songs that I can’t stop listening to. Enjoy!

1. Dear God, Phantogram. Praying really hard these days.

2. Attack of Panic, Aly & AJ. “There’s a panic in [all of us]”.

 

3. Breathing, FAVELA. Trying not to forget how to do that.

4. I’m With It, Satin Jackets ft. Metaxas. “We’re going to make it all okay”.

5. Pretty Great, Fickle Friends. Vibe check.

 

6. Sunlight, BLOWSOM. Craving some vitamin D rn.

7. Since You’ve Asked, Birocratic. Essential minimalist jam.

8. New Love (Yummm Remix), From Indian Lakes. A masterpiece, remixed.

9. El Tejano, Lauv ft. Sofía Reyes. A little rendezvous for the stir-crazy.

 

10. Further Up (Na, Na, Na, Na, Na) – IAmChino Remix, Pitbull ft. Static & Ben El. Where my party people at?

11. Used To Like, Neon Trees. For when you’re going to extremes.

12. Circles, Post Malone. An apocalypto romance that is very fitting for these times.

 

13. Hotel, ATTLAS ft. MAYLYN. Shout out to the tourists trapped in hotels during this mess.

14. Any Song, ZICO. Honestly, whatever tunes make you happy, listen to ’em.

Do your part and stay safe during these trying times, folks. STAY HOME.