reniescheromaci

[reniescheromaci]

Spite

Your tongue stings with all the things

you never said

Every thought that filled you with dread

was first in my head

I am the devil

unafraid of the truth

I will say every word to hurt you

I will make you want to die

For this I will lose no sleep

You will never dream again

This hatred I bury in you is worth more than all the money you will ever spend

No matter how much you try to bleed me out

I will stay with you til the end

#2022 #poetry #writer #queer writers #reniesche romaci

[reniescheromaci]

Judgement

You judge me for being judgemental

but I love myself

while you are afraid to look in the mirror

You say my eyes are too hollow

yet you cannot make contact with them for more than a second

before your palms start to sweat

I tell others what they wish not to hear

yet you are the one who's afraid to speak

I will never be perfect

and have never claimed to be

but I know if you were able to choose

you would rather be me

#2022 #poetry #writer #queer writers #free write #reniesche romaci

[reniescheromaci]

Eternity

I keep trying  no matter what  I may look strong  but I keep trying  because I'm too afraid  to do anything else  because the fear of ending it  is greater than the fear of carrying on because maybe there is an after  and I'm scared to death of reliving this  because fifty more years of suffering  is better than an eternity of regret 

[reniescheromaci]

Home

How I wish to leap into another world trees as green as my eyes lake water clear as the sky if only I were not alone, I would go now

Music made from flutes and strings surrounded by those with like-minds huts of sticks that sun shines through to wake me in the morning

Girls of strength and stubborn will and men who live to please rainfall in my palms to drink and warmth with a slight breeze

That is where I wish to be engulfed in laughter and song with those who love unconditionally where nothing can go wrong

Mine is such romantic desire I cannot be alone those who wish to, take my hand and let us make it home

21.9.22

[reniescheromaci]

Money Saving Tips From A (Very) Broke Girl

You know the drill; national insurance contributions are rising, fuel prices are higher than ever and a few months ago thousands of Brits had their benefits cut by £80…not long before gas and electric companies decided to gouge their prices too. Things are hard and they’re probably only going to get harder, so here are my best money saving tips that have helped me keep my head above water lately.

Firstly - and this one may seem obvious, but many people still don’t do it - cut any unnecessary expenses out of your life. Amazon Prime? You don’t really need it. Just have a little patience and wait a few more days for those packages! While I have you’re attention, stop buying random shit off Amazon! How many streaming platforms are you paying for? The average person has two or three, but you really only need one. 

Choose the platform you get the most use out of and cancel the rest. I know there isn’t much to do when you’re on a budget and we all need to be entertained, but there are still a few decent free websites out there to watch your favourite shows on. I use Dailymotion and of course, good old YouTube. Sure, the ads are irritating, but as the saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers. Plus, after two years stuck inside, you should probably be spending more time outside than sitting around watching TV. (It had to be said, sorry not sorry!)

My second tip is if you’re able to, walk more than you drive/use public transport. Did I mention bus fare has risen too? Well, it has, so wherever possible, walk or cycle to your destination instead. I’m a healthy young woman, luckily, and I’ll walk anywhere to save a few pounds (as long as it’s an hour or less…sshhh.)

Thirdly, sell your stuff. Whatever you don’t need or want anymore, whether it’s clothes, furniture, books…Sell it! Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Vinted - all great FREE selling sites. Even if you don’t make a lot off your old stuff, every little helps, right? I like to make a list of all my belongings once a year and whatever I don’t put on the list obviously wasn’t important enough for me to remember, so I sell it!

Another thing that saves me about £10-15 a month is using data over broadband. I live alone and I understand that this would actually cost more for families, but for those of you flying solo, do you really need that WiFi and TV package that costs you £30+ a month? Even with the streaming services? Get real - You don’t! O2, Giffgaff and Three all have payasyougo deals that provide you with 100GB of data or more, as well as unlimited texts and calls for just £20 a month and since pretty much everyone has a smartphone these days, you can hot spot that data to your laptop, Xbox or whatever other devices you have when need be. I know several single people who are paying £100 or more for broadband, data and streaming services. Guess what I pay? £28. That’s an insane difference!

My very last tip (please hear me out on this one!) get a bidet. No, I’m not talking about getting a fancy spray nozzle fitted to your toilet. If you’re reading this then that’s clearly not in your budget. I’m talking about a portable bidet in the form of a water bottle with an angled spray nozzle, which you can get for £10 or less on Amazon. It’ll help you use and buy less toilet paper, which will save you a good few quid a month.

So there you have it - My five best money saving tips! I’m not going to reveal how much I earn here, but these are the main tips that make it possible for me to spend as little as £160 per month on utilities, food, toiletries, my phone, internet and entertainment needs! If I can cut down to fit this teeny tiny budget, so can you! Again, I get that not everyone lives alone so some of these ideas may be impossible for some, but there are at least 3-4 things on this list everyone can implement into their lives to save some £££s.

[reniescheromaci]

How do ideas about compassion within the Theravada traditions compare with Schopenhauer’s understanding of it?

Compassion Connected to Religion

Compassion is defined by Oxford Languages as ‘sympathetic pity and concern for the suffering or misfortunes of others’. The word has quite a simple meaning, yet is understood and valued differently by different people. To me, showing and receiving compassion is a very significant part of life and what makes us human, which would not surprise those who are aware of my Christian principles. 

After all, Christianity, at its core, is all about love and compassion, despite being one of the world’s most destructively used religions. Buddhism is widely known as valuing selflessness and being the least selfish, most peaceful religion, however the Theravada, which is commonly accepted as the oldest and one of the largest divisions of Buddhism, values compassion in a much different way than many would assume. Instead of showing it by attempting to help and understand others, they show it by being ignorant to wrongdoings done unto them and by not retaliating against their enemies.

“The Theravada tradition emphasises the cultivation of four qualities, which are called ‘divine states of mind’. These are…compassion, but sometimes translated as pity or mercy…sympathetic joy…loving kindness…[and] mental equanimity” — Crossing Boundaries page 336. These qualities need to be purposefully remembered and practised in the face of challenging times in order to achieve liberation, as is believed by Buddhists.

The practise of meditation originates from this goal of trying to achieve mental equanimity, or ignorance toward others wrongdoings toward oneself. “There are many aspects of Buddhist ethical practice that are also advocated by other religious and philosophical traditions of ethics” — Crossing Boundaries page 339. For example, the Buddha’s story of the Simile of the Saw, in which a monk is imagining himself being sawed into pieces by a two-handled saw and trying to remain unbitter toward his attacker, as per the Buddha’s teaching of compassion, is similar to what Jesus is recorded saying in the Bible: “…do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also” — Matt 5:39.

The Theravada and Arthur Schopenhauer

One philosopher who likened his values to those of Buddhism was Arthur Schopenhauer. Born in Gdańsk, Poland in 1788, he was an “eloquent advocate of compassion” — Crossing Boundaries page 387, despite being accused of anti-Semitism and misogny, and being known when he was alive as a rather unfriendly person. One of his writings addresses this contrast: “it is one thing to possess the correct philosophical theory of virtue, he says; it is quite another to be a virtuous person” — Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation, 1818.

Like the Theravada, who had the four divine states of mind and the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering (illness, losing things and loved ones etc), the truth of the origin of suffering (greed and ignorance), the truth of the cessation (end) of suffering and the truth of the way to the cessation of suffering, also known as the Noble Eightfold Path, Schopenhauer believed that to live was to suffer and that for both humans and animals, life consists of constantly striving to satisfy our own and others needs. Despite sharing this belief with the religion of Buddhism, Schopenhauer described himself as an atheist and a pessimist.

From the evidence I’ve presented above, particularly in paragraphs 3 and 4, it seems that Buddhists regard practising compassion, most importantly, as a step toward achieving liberation and enlightenment, contrary to Schopenhauer’s belief that humans are compassionate toward others because we naturally feel compelled to take pity and help, even if there is no reward given to us for doing so. In Schopenhauer’s work published in 1840 ‘On the Basis of Morality’, he says that anything done for oneself is “without moral worth”.

By this he does not mean that performing acts for oneself is morally wrong, just that it isn’t especially virtuous or positive. “There is only one case in which this [is untrue]: namely, when the ultimate incentive for doing something, or leaving it undone, is precisely and exclusively centred in in the weal and woe of someone else” — Schopenhauer, On the Basis of Morality, 1840. He calls the act of doing or not doing something with the selfless aim of helping someone else the stamp of moral worth.

He claims that another’s fortune or misfortune influences his emotions in the exact same way as his own and describes compassion as the “real basis of all voluntary justice and all genuine loving-kindness”. From this we can see that Schopenhauer believed that humans naturally wish good will on others just as we wish it for ourselves and that helping others makes us happy. The Theravada, however, believe that achieving our own ambitions is worth turning a blind eye to the suffering of others if helping them would somehow hinder our own happiness, and that we shouldn’t let it affect our own well-being.

Nevertheless, both Schopenhauer and the Theravada Buddhists acknowledge that ignoring other people’s suffering is inherently difficult for humans and both believe(d) that having compassion for others is a great source of suffering. If we remember that about half of all our problems are not actually our own and that most people would be much happier if we were not concerned with anyone else’s well-being, we can see how Schopenhauer’s theory is correct. Perhaps the fact that he was influenced by both Buddhism and Hinduism throughout his life and the fact that he did not conform to one single religion with any goals of illumination in mind is the reason his and Theravada's views on compassion weren’t the same.

Although the way these two parties define and understand compassion, and their reasons for showing it, are slightly different, it’s clear that both regard it with extremely high significance.

[reniescheromaci]

Go Away

Go away Go and take your words that you turned into songs Fake feelings for content that only lasted as long as it took you to jot them down on paper in leather notebooks I push to the back of my closet and look back on every spring when it’s time to deep clean but these I cannot get rid of

Go and take your words that you turned into stories lies that made me believe I meant something that you turned into songs, fake feelings for content A character you created, one of many, all which meant something Go and take these memories burned into my brain so deeply ingrained that the sound of your name puts a chill in my bones that I can no longer bear

I want to be done with it so go And wherever you go take it all but please, his time for good Go away

[reniescheromaci]

How To Be A Better Friend

In my last post, 5 Types of Friends You Should Fall Out With Immediately, I broke down five different kinds of people that, if taking care of your physical and mental health is on your list of priorities, you should cut out of your life as soon as possible. Maybe (hopefully) you’ve read it. If not, you should go and read that post before you read this one. If any of the ‘friends’ on that list sound like you — Yes, YOU! — then please take the points in this post into careful consideration. If you don’t resonate with any of the people on that list, please read this anyway. You may already be a great friend, but nobody’s perfect (including me — I’m writing this down for myself to look back on too, you know) and you might just learn something.

Have Empathy Let’s get straight into it. Firstly, I believe the biggest step you can take to becoming a better friend is just to be mindful. With the business and stress we all face as a part of everyday life, it’s easy to become enclosed in your own little bubble and forget about those around you. Maybe you’re annoyed that the company you work for has been forcing you to do too much overtime and cutting into your personal life, but your cousin has just lost their job due to Covid-19. Or maybe you just had a baby; You’re overwhelmed with joy and can’t help but post hundreds of photos of your beautiful newborn on social media. Your best friend, however, has been struggling with infertility and although she’s happy for you, looking at those photos make her want to burst into tears, so she’s stopped following you altogether. It’s good to be grateful for all the amazing things going on in your life and completely okay to complain about the not-so-amazing things sometimes. Still, it’s important to not become so self immersed that you’re unable to empathise with others, especially those closest to you. You should also be careful not to one-up people. If someone’s problems/accomplishments seem minor compared to yours, don’t turn it into a competition. Just listen and if applicable, celebrate with them.

Know When to Keep Quiet Is your friend going back to school/college/university? Are they ‘too old’ to go back to education in your opinion? If so, keep it to yourself. It doesn’t matter if you graduated years before they do. They’re trying to do something good for themself. Keeping quiet also goes for things like their new hairstyle that they absolutely love, but you just can’t get used to, along with their personal/religious beliefs. For instance, maybe you don’t agree with abortions, but they’re thinking about having one, for whatever reason. Don’t try to convince them not to go through with it just because you wouldn’t get one yourself.

Know When to Speak Up Similarly to knowing when to shut up, you need to know when to speak up. If it’s for their own good — not including things you think they’ll regret doing a few years down the line — such as stopping them from sending money to online scammers that they’re just a tad too naive to recognise, or telling them that their partner is cheating on them (only when you have sufficient evidence) you should definitely go with your gut and tell them!

Support Their Goals I’ll bring up the going back to school point again, because, well, it’s a goal shared by a lot of people. If your friend is trying to further their education, they just started a new job, or even bought a new home that’s further away from you than you would like, support them. Tell them how proud you are that they’re making big moves in life. A huge one for me is that if they have their own business, big or small, support them in anyway you can, whether that be liking and sharing their Facebook page, buying something at full price, or telling other people about it. They’ll appreciate you so much for helping. And who knows? One day they might blow up. Then when they can afford to, they’ll give you freebies/discounts!

Be Consistent Consistency and reliability are two things everyone wants in a friend. Friends are for more than just keeping you company when you’re bored. They’re there to pick you up when you fall down, to be a shoulder to cry on, to go on adventures with. In order for someone to want to do all those things with you and be willing to return the favour, you have to be consistent and reliable. This means answering the phone during an emergency, responding to messages within at least a week (I mean, come on, people. We all have our phones in our hand ALL THE TIME), showing up when you said you would. Even if you made plans and it turns out you can’t make it, the friendly thing to do is to let them know beforehand. Don’t just let them down and expect them to be fine with it. You’d be pissed if they did that to you, right?

Confidence Is Key Here we are, at the end of the article, where I’ve put the last and most crucial tip for you to become a better companion. If ignoring the other points on this list doesn’t get you friend-dumped, not listening to this one will: Don’t tell secrets and don’t gossip. If a friend, colleague, family member, or even a stranger that you meet on the train and make small talk with one morning, tells you something in confidence, never, ever repeat it to anyone else. Unless the person is in danger and you believe telling their secret is the only way to help them, keep it to yourself. Seriously. Don’t even tell your spouse. Maybe the secret contains information that you see as ‘no big deal’, but if someone else knew it, it could potentially change their whole perception of the person in question. So zip it, lock it and put it in your pocket! In the same sense, gossiping about people can relay information to people that are potentially not supposed to know it, so even if something isn’t necessarily a secret, it’s best not to talk about people behind their backs. Instead, talk about yourself. Talk about the person in front of you. Whenever a friend of mine starts talking about somebody else and badmouthing them to me, it makes me wonder what kind of things they’re telling other people about me and I start to withhold details about my own life, and sometimes cut them out altogether. It’s a sad fact that I know things about people I’ve never even met. So don’t gossip. Ever. About anybody. Well, there you have it: My top tips on how to be a better friend, partner, brother, sister, cousin, co-worker…Whatever! I hope these tips help you in making your personal relationships better. Since you’re reading this, you must be making an effort to become a better person all-round — GO YOU!

[reniescheromaci]

How Were Power and Status Expressed in Ancient Cultures?

It’s fairly clear to most that one of the best indicators of someone’s wealth, status and therefore, their power is their home and any other property they might own, such as real estate, ornaments, vehicles etc. Typically, the less money a person has, the less they own and the less influence they have on people, world issues and more. This is true for the world we live in today, but surprising to some, it was also true for some ancient cultures. In this essay, I’m going to explain how one of the most telling ways the Greeks and Romans expressed their social status was with buildings, statues and other structures.

A good example to start with would be the Roman emperor, or princep, Nero, who started his rule over Rome in 54 AD, supposedly at the tender age of sixteen. He was the fifth emperor of Rome, the last of Rome’s first dynasty, the Julio-Claudians. All of Rome’s princeps benefitted from the city’s huge wealth, culturally and economically. According to Joanna Paul, the author of Rome, a world in one city, all of them lived in private houses or palaces on Palatine Hill, a location that was exclusive to Rome’s most elite residents.

Nero was known for his debauchery and extravagance, so it was no surprise to the Roman public when he decided that Palatine Hill was not a good enough place for him to live. After the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, he ordered the Domus Aurea (in English, Golden House) to be constructed. The Golden House was even bigger and more lavish than any of Nero’s predecessors’ palaces. It was surrounded by extensive parkland, an artificial lake and a statue of the prodigal princep himself. Greek statues were highly valued in the Roman world, and so several are said to have been dotted around the Golden House (most which would have been stolen from Delphi) as well as many grand works of art.

The décor inside Nero’s palace was a significant marker of his enormous power and wealth, although the building didn’t always give off the impression that he had hoped for. “The heavy use of precious materials always carried with it the possibility that Nero’s luxurious tastes could be condemned as vulgar…but…by advertising his fascination with Greek culture…perhaps he intended to show his visitors that he was possessed of a more intellectual, refined set of cultural reference points” – Joanne Paul, Rome, a world in one city, 2020.

After Nero’s death in 68 AD, his successor, Vespasian ordered the restructuring of the Golden House into something that wasn’t just an expression of status, but something that could both benefit the elite and be enjoyed by the public too - the Flavian Amphitheatre, officially known as the Colosseum. This was a monumental location where Rome’s inhabitants could watch the infamous gladiator games. Just like the venue in which they took place, these games represented something important to the Romans: their dignity, courage and military prowess.

In Athens the people’s ways of showing their status and power were a little different, although this still involved structures and places, such as the Athenian Acropolis and the agora, which were very important to the Athenians. While the Acropolis was used primarily for special occasions, such as religious celebrations, the agora was used more as a space for socializing and politics.

Even though the agora was open to the public, only Athenian citizens were allowed to walk around there freely and doing so was a favoured way in which Athenians expressed and exercised their citizenship. Men born in Athens and over the age of eighteen were the most highly regarded citizens and were the only ones able to practice law and government, such as voting, and trade within the agora. However, they were also the only ones who were obligated to join the military and pay taxes.

In addition to this, many of them had to deal with administrative matters, as every year five-hundred men were selected to be archons (councillors). The council would meet at a place called the Old Bouleuterion, later moving to the New Bouleuterion, every day except public holidays. Nearby was the Royal Stoa, a special seat saved for the King Archon, who had authority over religious matters. In front of this seat was an oath stone, where all the magistrates took their oath to the office each year. Each of these structures represented specific things and were only to be used by certain people, and so watching who exercised use of them would have been an easy way to tell a man’s status.

Women and children born in Athens were of course considered citizens as well, but those who stayed at home, away from the public eye, had the best reputation. If you were a woman walking around the agora, most people would likely assume you were a slave or a prostitute. In order of status, in Athens there were elite citizens, citizens, metics (noncitizens who had the same freedom as citizens, but not all the same rights) and slaves.

Going by this information, we can see that the agora was a good place to judge people’s status and therefore, their power. Another good indication of this in Athens was how big someone’s house was, just like in the modern world; The larger someone’s wealth, the larger their house. Now that I’ve given a few examples, it’s easy to see how significant of a role buildings and structures played when expressing one’s wealth and power in Rome and Athens, as well as how similar these two ancient cultures in particular were to modern culture.

Although these days there are sometimes slightly different requirements for being an elite individual, the ways these people convey their status has hardly changed. The land, home and possessions one owns seems to be a major indicator of one’s identity. It always has been and judging by society’s current standards, probably always will be, especially when we consider how difficult and rare it is for someone who is lower class to ‘make it’ and climb up the social ladder.

[reniescheromaci]

Eco Makeup and Why The Poor Can’t Save The Planet

Going zero waste has become quite the trend lately. Even I’ve succumbed to spending most of my time on the internet these days researching ways to be more planet friendly. So far I’ve made these swaps:    • bamboo toothbrush    • wooden comb/hairbrush    • reusable makeup remover pads    • reusable shopping bags    • reusable menstrual products    • eating less meat    I’ve never been one for takeout coffee, so I didn’t have to make that switch, not to sound high and mighty or anything — I just never had enough loose change lying around to splurge on that sort of thing. Plus, I prefer to drink coffee in the morning (on the rare occasion that I wake up before 12pm) in front of the TV, or while I check my phone for new emails/likes etc (usually non-existent).    I plan to make more zero waste swaps in the future, however, there is one plastic beauty product I will not be tossing out in order to replace it with the plastic free version: makeup. Now, my makeup itself isn’t the problem. As far as I know, all the makeup I use is cruelty free and made from mostly natural ingredients. The problem is the packaging, that evil plastic that people won’t shut up about!    I’ve looked at several online eco-friendly makeup brands and I’m pretty disappointed with my findings. I mean, £18 for bamboo packaged pressed powder? Come on! £40 for a small glass bottle of liquid foundation? I don’t think so! The list of ridiculously priced products goes on.    I’m bothered by these unrealistic prices because I know there are a lot of people who would like to do more to “save the planet”, but they simply don’t have the money to make some of the swaps that dream requires. I’m talking about young people on minimum wage, single parents and low income families — about 80% of people where I live, including me. We want to do more, but it’s just not affordable, therefore not possible.    The only point I’m trying to make here is that if the companies that make these products care so much about making a difference, maybe they ought to lower their prices. That way more people will be willing to kick their plastic tubs and brushes to the curb and instead start buying beauty products in containers made of bamboo and glass etc.    I certainly cringe at the thought of spending £20 or more on a tube of mascara. Still, those who want to do their bit for the environment shouldn’t be discouraged. Even if certain eco-friendly swaps are unobtainable to you, you can make some of the cheaper swaps on your zero waste mission, like the ones on the list above.    Enjoy your journey, earth lovers!

[reniescheromaci]

I Fucked Up

I bit off more than I can chew And you told me I would But you let me eat anyway Because I told you I could I swallow my words I wish I’d listened to you Years built up a pain That affect everything I do I thought I could do this I thought I was cured But these pills are just bandaids They don’t open doors I’m in way too deep now I want to give up Don’t tell me ‘I told you so’ But babe…I think I fucked up Because it all tastes so bitter It was so sweet at first I thought I was better But it’s going to take years

[reniescheromaci]

Beat Self-Isolation Sadness With These Activities!

First, here is my experience with the first lockdown: After 3 weeks of being stuck inside my tiny studio flat — and becoming painfully aware that my (noisy) neighbours were also stuck inside theirs — I felt like I’d got the hang of quarantine. During the first week I did nothing at all. In fact, I slipped into a deep depression where I did nothing but sleep and eat just enough to stay alive.    Before the world shut down, I was in the middle of getting my life together, as I’m sure a lot of people felt they were. I had been getting up early, eating big cooked breakfasts, dressing up everyday whether I had somewhere important to be or not. I was doing all my chores, seeing my favourite people at least three times a week and even making plans for the future; applying for jobs and college courses and going to therapy.    I threw away my routine the first week. The second week I tried to get my shit together. I went grocery shopping, did some housework, although not as much as usual, and started video calling with a couple of friends. It was a start… But it didn’t last long. By the third week I’d gone back to doing the bare minimum. I didn’t want to text or call anyone. I didn’t want to get dressed or put on makeup, or cook a proper dinner, and I really didn’t want to do housework. There were a couple of days that I managed to pick myself up enough to do something, like playing guitar or cooking, but overall I felt myself slipping back into that dark, quiet place where I find myself exhausted, not from doing too much, but from overthinking.    Now the second time around, I’m determined not to ‘’let myself go’’ again. I’m working as a carer in a nursing home part time and doing university and college classes online. I facetime my therapist once a week and have even gone back on medication, after I swore to myself I’d never go near it again. Point is, I’m doing the best I can. No one wants to slip into a ‘’funk’’, as it could stick even after the pandemic is over, and we all know how hard it is to break bad habits. Hopefully some of my suggestions will help curve your boredom over the next couple of weeks!    Here are some things that have been motivating me to get out of bed the past couple days (besides work and homework). These aren’t all exactly productive, but they keep me relaxed and stop me from thinking too much.    > First, try to connect with someone. Text, call, video chat, or even join a thread of comments on Instagram. Just TALK to someone.    > Express yourself. Write a poem, blog post, song, story or in your diary. Paint a picture. Sing, dance or play an instrument. If you have to (and I say this with tears in my eyes) make a TikTok.    > Cook something. Actually COOK, without using a microwave. As long as you eat though, anything’s fine.    > Deep clean your whole place. Organise all your stuff and donate/throw some things out.    > Deep clean your phone. Delete your enemies numbers, any apps you don’t use, old photos etc, and wipe it down while you’re at it!    > Give yourself a spa day. Do a face mask and put some on your hands too. They need it after all the washing. Exfoliate and moisturise your whole body. Paint your toenails. Light some candles, put on some soft music and meditate.    > Exercise. Go for a walk by yourself, do yoga or jump rope.    > Like to support good causes? Whilst you can’t volunteer in a charity shop or join a protest while the world is on lock down, you can still send texts and sign petitions to support campaigns happening around the globe. A good place to start is www.change.org. (Keep in mind that any money donated to Change goes to their organisation, not the petitions).    > If you’re in school, do some revision. If not, pick up a new language and try to perfect it. You could be multilingual by the time we’re out of self isolation!    > Watch TV/a streaming service. Some of my favourite shows at the moment are Outlander, The Haunting of Hill House and Peaky Blinders, all available on Netflix and Amazon Prime. (Yes, I know they’re old… If you want to suggest some new shows for me I’d really appreciate it).    > Read a book, article, or research a topic you’re interested in that you never had time for before.    > Plan some great outfits for when this is all over!    These can all be done whether you live alone or with others. I hope they help keep you sane during this strange, trying time and since most of them don’t require technology, they’ll give you a break from all the screens! I recently purchased a Rubix cube and a dart board to cure my boredom, and I’m loving playing with them!    Although it’s difficult, it’s important to keep some sort of routine during quarantine, or at least to relax/have as much fun as possible, especially for those of us with mental health issues. Hopefully my suggestions will help!