An abridged list of what has brought me sanity during a global pandemic

Perhaps you’ve noticed the world is on fire. Sometimes literally. Probably always literally, but I don’t exactly track the state of fires in my day-to-day existence. I mean, global warming is a thing but that doesn’t necessarily mean a literal fire, I don’t think.

In case it was not clear, this blog should not be a primary source on any scientific topics.

Anyway, if there’s anything the global pandemic taught us, is that perhaps too much of our sanity is tied to making a Target run. (Or was that just me…?). Or, if we’re being a little more specific, we learned a bunch of new techniques to maintain our sanity.

Pre-pandemic, we had a lot of things filling our time. Commuting, shopping, whatever you might do to fill your free time outside the home (for me: boxing and living in coffee shops while I write). Perhaps some of these things have come back at least a bit in some capacity. While I’m still not going out shopping much (except Barnes and Noble because they own my heart), I am back to commuting (though a lot less). But at the beginning of the pandemic and to a certain extent still now while we are still in the pandemic but with more miserable moral decision making, we had to come up with new ways to fill our suddenly empty hours. No more going out to bars. No more hour long commutes. Everything being done from home.

And if you’re like me, your sanity started to…uh…slip a little bit.

Now, certainly some of that was due to the stress of a GLOBAL PANDEMIC (who would’ve thunk it?).But of course, there’s a whole bunch of complexities that come out of that situation to create the the MASSIVE ANXIETY MONSTER inside you that encourages you to eat pizza and drink all your Kraken brand rum.

Just me?

For me, in addition to being anxious constantly about the state of things to do with the pandemic, I also was not used to writing from home (coffee shop writing is very special to me…and stops a kitten from nipping at my ankles because I’m not paying attention to him). I also couldn’t go to my boxing club (but then…where does the rage go?). And I have clinical anxiety on a good day.

This meant I had to try a lot of different things to help me maintain my sanity during the global pandemic. Otherwise, the stress agitated my clinical anxiety and I paced around my couch for a literal hour while listening to a podcast (true story). I even looked up lists of hobbies for ideas! But they didn’t usually help.

So I figured my own list of hobbies that I discovered! I’ll admit, they’re a bit more niche and super specific but maybe they’ll offer you some new things to try too. So here it is: my abridged list of what has brought me sanity during a global pandemic.

1. Rooster Teeth (with special shoutouts to Squad Team Force and Achievement Hunter)

I will never be able to describe suitably how important Rooster Teeth was in maintaining my sanity during the pandemic. The best way I can describe Rooster Teeth is an entertainment content creation company specializing in video games. You may have heard of them as the creators of the popular series of Red Vs. Blue. Pre-pandemic, I was already a huge fan of Achievement Hunter and RWBY was already my favorite show. I already subscribed to Rooster Teeth as a FIRST member. However, I started enjoying TONS more of their content during the pandemic.

I got into the habit of watching Rooster Teeth content literally ALL DAY to stave off the silence of working from home. I would turn on RTTV (Rooster Teeth TV) and just let it run in the background. Which meant I got a whole sampling of all their content. They would stream most days of the week (still do). I started regularly watching the Rooster Teeth Podcast and Off Topic Podcast live. I became a fan of Rooster Teeth Core just as they rebranded to Squad Team Force. I got to enjoy RTX (Rooster Teeth Convention) when they went virtual in 2020 and 2021 to the point that I REALLY want to attend in person when I can.

Honestly, the biggest thing Rooster Teeth has done for me during the pandemic was help me feel less alone. I got to listen to other people vent and discuss what was going on in the world and then turn it around and make each other laugh. I needed both. And I don’t think I’ll ever be fully describe how important Rooster Teeth has been in helping me maintain some semblance of sanity during this extremely stressful time.

2. Bella Grace Magazine

Like was the case with Rooster Teeth, I was a fan of Bella Grace magazine pre-pandemic. The magazine’s goal is to “discover magic in ordinary moments.” They specialize in observations of hygge and the beauty of simple things. But the magazine took on special significance during the pandemic to the point that I actually purchased a subscription for the first time.

The magazine allowed me time to slow down and reflect on what was important to me. It forced me to confront the fact that maybe we make life more complicated than it needs to be.

3. Speedruns of video games (from Games Done Quick)

I adore video games but I am not under any impression that I am good at them. I’m playing my way through Celeste right now, which keeps count of your deaths and…yeah, it’s kind of entertaining. Which makes speed runs of video games especially amazing to watch.

Speed runners are game players that do more than just go fast in a particular game. There are entire communities dedicated to identifying the speediest routes, exploiting pixel-perfect imperfections, and considering how best to implement known glitches to make the game go faster. It requires an immense amount of practice and research and it is incredible to watch.

For years now, I’ve always been interested in video game glitches and hidden Easter eggs in video games, which are little secrets developers leave in games that can be just a fun joke or a massive lore drop. Watching speed runners play video games scratches that itch for me. I love understanding how video games get developed and the unintended consequences of those choices. And it’s mesmerizing to watch a community express such joy in the uncovering of these things.

Games Done Quick is the main place I go for speed runs. They often organize massive events in order to raise money for charity, often over a million dollars at a single event. A few of my go-tos:

• Any Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past runs from player Andy, including the randomizer

• Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask run by MajinPhil

• Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest runs, especially from V0oid (also DKC trilogy relay)

• Super Mario World runs, especially races

4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

I played the original Animal Crossing for Nintendo Gamecube back when it came out years ago. I enjoyed the game, liked the concept but it didn’t have a longevity for me. Once I paid off my in-game loan, it felt like there were no new goals to achieve and I lost interest. So when I heard about the new Animal Crossing: New Horizons game on its way, I thought the game looked solid but not for me.

But then the game ended up being released during a global pandemic.

At first, that didn’t change anything for me. I still remembered too firmly my experience with the original game and I didn’t want to spend money on something that would offer me a few hours of distraction at most. However, like I mentioned before, I spent a lot of time watching Rooster Teeth, known for its gameplay content. When the new Animal Crossing game came out, it seemed like everyone there was streaming the game. For a while, I looked forward to the streams of Gus and Jon rating Animal Crossing island. I adored watching Outside Xbox and Outside Xtra on YouTube explore the islands of the team members. And noticing how much joy I got just from watching the gameplay and needing the distraction, I decided it was worth it.

It so was.

I will say I play the game a lot less now than when it first came out. But it was such a charming, calming distraction. It made my world feel bigger than just my home. I got to go fishing! And carefully design the landscape of my island! And go diving! When the DLC was released a few months ago, I bought it. It sparked gentle creativity in me and brought me peace during chaos.

5. Simple puzzle games (notably Sudoku, 2048, and Picocross)

Yes, I am the girl who owns 5 Sudoku books. I owned two of them pre-pandemic. It’s especially funny because I remember not being good at Sudoku in middle school when teachers would hand the puzzles out to keep us busy. I love the way Sudoku keeps my mind busy and gives me something to do when I watch Youtube and Rooster Teeth (I can’t sit still). During the pandemic, I also added the game of Picocross on Nintendo Switch and 2048 to my repertoire as an excuse to listen to more podcasts. I love simple puzzle games that are easy to play but hard to master.

6. Nature

The ability to go out in nature enabled me to remain human during the pandemic. It was amazing how much weight lifted from me when I went out to the parks around me. I hadn’t owned hiking shoes since middle school and during the pandemic, I bought two pairs. Plus I finally acquired my bike (it had still been living in my parents’ garage) and used it to explore the trails as well.

Nature allowed me to slow down. To get away from distractions and just exist. I’ve mentioned this as part of my write up of “lessons from the pandemic” but I don’t think I can ever explain enough how important it is to go out in nature.

7. Super organizing! (I blame Marie Condo and The Home Edit)

When your entire world becomes your home, you set out on a mission to make it PERFECT. I spent weekdays sorting through my closet and Saturday nights digging through Etsy for hours. I bought a new bookshelf and repurposed an old one (and got rid of a third). I drove to three different locations to sell or donate old stuff. I reorganized my kitchen cabinets then did it again (although that second time, hot sauce fell from my top cabinet to my floor and I had a LOT to clean up…).

The results were unreal. My bookshelves match now and look a bit like built-ins (which has always been a dream of mine). I actually have space in my closet. I have storage drawers once overflowing and now empty. It got to the point that I started asking my mom if there was anything I could help her organize because I ran out of things in my own home.

Yeah, I’m weird.

But it brought me so much joy and cleared out some of the chaotic energy in my brain that is brought up from that passive worry that you have something you need to get done. I mean, if you’re going to live in the space, it might as well be a space you want to live in.

8. Internet mysteries (including ARGs)

I am a total scaredy cat. I once watched a Goosebumps film about living dummies and it changed my sleeping habits for a solid 2 years. So as you can guess, I tend to give horror a pretty wide berth.

Or…I did.

During the pandemic (and even sometimes prior the pandemic), I dove into the world of Internet mysteries and ARGs (alternate reality games). And when I say “dove in,” I mean I watched YouTube videos and listened to podcasts. So safe distance. I started listening to the podcast Red Web from Rooster Teeth (of course) hosted by Trevor Collins and Alfredo Diaz of Achievement Hunter (also of course). They’ve covered topics like the Happy Valley Dream Survey, Cicada 3301, and South32. Meanwhile, the Theorist network on Youtube run by MatPat (which includes channels like GT Live, Game Theory, and Film Theory) digs into horror games and analog horror like Local 58.

Weirdly, considering the fact that I’m a scaredy cat, these topics fascinate me. I love learning about how people solved ARGs by digging through the source code of websites and reversing audio. I love being intrigued by analog horror storytelling that makes me think about new storytelling techniques.

Though, to be fair, I’m generally careful to enjoy this content while the sun is up.

9. Twitch.TV Content Creators (DooleyNotedGaming, ChilledChaos, AlfredoPlays, and JonRisinger shout OUT)

I didn’t really watch much Twitch content pre-pandemic. That’s not to say I didn’t watch video game content prior to the pandemic; that would be such a huge lie that the prospect is laughable. But I jumped onto Twitch when I realized some of my favorite creators were making content there. And once I started watching content there, I was hooked.

I spent New Years Eve 2020 watching DooleyNotedGaming and KDoolz (Jeremy and Kat Dooley) stream Stardew Valley and it was genuinely such a great way to spend the night.

On a night with bad anxiety, I tuned into JonRisinger streaming himself painting along with a Bob Ross episode. And then I won the painting in a giveaway! (It’s super pretty and I have it hung up in my home).

I looked forward to Saturday where AlfredoPlays (Alfredo Diaz) hosted Among Us nights. And I would often jump in to the Among Us streams run by ChilledChaos.

Basically, I was just very thankful to find joyful streamers to enjoy and remind me that some of the biggest joys in life are actually very simple.

10. Game nights with friends (Jackbox.TV is a magical creation)

I’m so glad my friend reached out to me and asked if we might try a virtual game night (Dan, you are a brilliant man). Because I’m the technical one of my friend group, I figured out how to make it happen and usually about once a month, I would host a game night through Discord where we played a bunch of Jackbox games.

I am so thankful for those nights. Those nights where we played and made terrible jokes and vented our woes. I’m so glad to have had the ability to sustain such important friends at a time where we couldn’t be together in person.

11. Podcasts (the ones I haven’t got to mention yet)

I’ve already mentioned Red Web as one of the podcasts that kept me sane (as much as a podcast about scary mysteries can), as well as the Rooster Teeth podcast and the Off Topic podcast. But that’s not tall! Let’s name drop some more that I’ve loved:

• The Cult Podcast - Yup, it’s a podcast about cults. I swept through this podcast like it was an addiction. It kind of was. But in addition to being a podcast about cults, it’s hosted by comedians who look for ways to make things light without making light of those who suffered within the cult. It’s fascinating.

• Welcome to Nightvale - This is a fictional podcast about a small desert town in the southwest United States. It’s got a bit of the same vibe as Local 58 that I mentioned earlier (which explains why I’m fascinated by Local 58…). It’s funny and peculiar. And all you need to know is that dogs are not permitted inside the dog park.

• Writing Excuses - A fantastic podcast about writing that a former coworker recommended to me and it’s great. In addition to being chock full of writing info, it also takes a realistic perspective on the field and the different paths your career might take. If you’re a writer, definitely add this to your list.
  

12. Acknowledging my feelings that this sucks.

I can’t lie: as much as I had a million and one coping mechanisms throughout the pandemic that allowed me to grip the last shred of my sanity, there were just days that were bad. Days where I walked in circles. Days where I sat down and cried. Days where I would walk into my bedroom and scream into a pillow.

Sometimes, I would tell myself not to fret, that there was plenty to do even when life was limited by the pandemic. But sometimes, that didn’t matter. Sometimes, the world is just a scary place and you don’t know how to deal with it all. And I had to learn it’s okay to acknowledge that pandemics are not fun things to live through.

But through it all, one quote has stuck with me, from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, and I think it fits here:

Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

Yes, this time of global pandemic has been challenging. And sometimes, coping mechanisms only get you so far. It’s okay to break down, to lose your grip on sanity for a little bit. But there is hope beyond it. And I hope that this list gives you some new ideas when you need a new task to help you tighten your grip.

Works Cited:

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings. HarperCollins, 1991.