Ever since coming home from school in March, I’ve been trying to find things that spark a little bit of joy in this crazy time. Now, having been home for almost six months I can tell you that these things have worked to get my mind off of the world, at least for a little while. So, here are the top five things that have been helping me live my best life in quarantine.
Lucifer
This Netflix series is about the devil needing a vacation. As cheesy as it sounds, the storyline is gripping and Tom Ellis, who plays Lucifer Morningstar, is a marvelous actor (and he’s pretty dang attractive). There are four seasons of the show on Netflix, and my brother and I binged all four seasons in the first month of quarantine. Originally a FOX series, it follows Lucifer as he becomes a civilian consultant to the LAPD in the homicide unit. He also runs the nightclub Lux where he helps people give into their deepest desires. Throughout the series, he deals with some familiar biblical faces all while trying to leave his old life in Hell behind and use his devilish charm to woo Detective Chloe Decker. This series is a 10/10 and the first part of season five is coming to Netflix on August 21. I will be unavailable that day.
Villainous
You may be thinking, “come on Bailey, a Disney board game,” but listen, this is not some childish game. This is an intense, strategy game that even my mom had trouble figuring out the first time she played. This game allows you to play as one of six Disney villains, my current favorites are Jafar and Captain Hook, to complete objectives that let you win. Each player is essentially playing their own game with separate objectives, but the other players are trying to sabotage you. Every game is different and it’s so fun to play as each character to see if you can win as all of them. They also have three expansion packs that each allow you to play as three new Disney villains, and they just came out with a Marvel version if Disney isn’t your style. It might just be the best $35 I’ve spent during quarantine.
Kindle
While I’m home, I’m trying to not spend all of my time watching TV and movies, and boy is that hard. But, the Kindle has been a savior throughout quarantine because, if you’re like me, you don’t like spending $20 on a new book every two weeks. I’ve always been one to go to the library to check out my books, but since our local library has been closed since March, I needed to get creative if I wanted to get my book fix in. Did you know you can rent e-books from your library directly on your Kindle? It’s the best thing ever! The only bad thing is everyone is doing it right now, so waitlists can be quite long. But renting these books has allowed me to read a lot and saved me quite a lot of money in the long run. My current book recommendations are: My Lovely Wife, The Woman in the Window and The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
People Crossword Puzzles
Ok, so maybe I’ve become an 85-year-old lady since I graduated in May. But, let me tell you, searching for a job is a long and tedious process and it can be so stressful. So, after reading my magazine, I pop open the crossword puzzle and try to solve it. Usually, I can’t solve it without having to Google some answers, but it gets my brain working and gets my mind off job hunting. After being in school for 16 years, I’m so used to having ways to keep my gears turning, and this is a fun way for me to do it. Plus, most of the clues are about pop culture and I love anything and everything entertainment.
Aldi White Cheddar Puffs
Arguably the weirdest thing I’ve found during quarantine, but still great nonetheless. Since June, I’ve been working as an Instacart shopper at my local grocery stores, which is typically Aldi. While I’m there I see everything they have and these bad boys caught my eye. I’ve always liked Cheeto Puffs better than the normal Cheeto, I know controversial opinion, and I also like white cheddar things as opposed to normal cheddar (i.e. mac and cheese, Cheez-It, etc.). So I grabbed this snack from the organic aisle, and now I’m hooked. They’re gluten free, made from baked corn and rice, and 140 calories per cup, plus they offer that crunch and cheesiness that I love when I’m snacking. And I don’t feel as guilty when I eat the whole bag because they are ~organic.~