How To Cope If You’re Isolating Alone Due To Covid This Christmas

Thousands, if not millions could be self-isolating this Christmas. Here’s how to make the best of it.

It’s common knowledge that the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus is spreading quite fast. Cases were at 90,000+ just yesterday, which has naturally got many of us worried about how we’ll be spending the Christmas holidays.

We get it if the thought of surviving the holidays alone feels familiar and disappointing. If you’re in that position, we’ve got a few tips to tide you over during the festive period and keep your spirits up.

With our tips, we hope you give yourself permission to mark Christmas in as good of a light as possible and give yourself as much TLC during this time.

Stock up

There’s not much to it. Make sure you’ve got enough food in, all of your prescriptions sorted, a variety of entertainment if you get bored and lots of snacks.

Get virtual

Yep, it’s time to whack out the webcams and mics for some zoom calls. Why not brush up on your quiz knowledge or give someone a call to say a quick hello? It’s important you stay connected (unless you really feel like switching off could do you some good), as it’ll help you feel less alone during isolation.

Catch up on books and TV

Got a reading list up to your ceiling or Netflix shows you still haven’t binged? Now is the time to do all of those things. It’ll help keep you occupied and finally chip away at those shows and books you’ve been meaning to catch up on.

Get Netflix student discounts here.

Make a really good meal for yourself

Who says you can’t cook a full feast for one person? Or if you’re feeling a bit spent, then it’s worth knowing delivery services usually still run on Christmas Day. Be sure to leave a tip for those working (if you can afford it), as niceness goes a seriously long way.

Get food and drink student discounts here.

Treat yourself in other ways

Cooking a hearty meal is one way to keep you happy, but having other things sprinkle joy throughout the day is important too. We can’t get the love and connection we usually have around others during the holidays, so it’s important we show ourselves the same things.

So aside from reaching out to loved ones, here are just a few ways to give yourself some much-needed #selflove:

• Run a bath

• Get cosy with a good book

• Try meditating

• Stretch

• Journal – we’re huge fans of free-writing.

Use this time to plan

Or not! It’s totally up to you and what you feel like doing.

But if you are up for it, planning realistic goals for 2022 could be a productive way to get ahead and give yourself a sense of optimism for the new year. Plus, it’s proven that planning can help reduce anxieties and stress. We could all use some of that calm, let’s be honest!

Have no clue where to begin? We rounded up a whopping list of 80 easy new years resolutions for when you’re stuck for ideas.

Watch your health

Over-indulging is quite common during the holidays, however, if you’re susceptible to drinking or drugs, then you may find this time quite difficult and turn to these vices out of habit. Ensure you have a support network and people you can reach out to if the going gets tough.

Have a crisis plan

We need to remind ourselves that we deserve this break. But if any of these strategies just aren’t cutting it and you’re finding things difficult, then we advise making your struggles.

Call a friend or family member, look for threads on Reddit to reach out to people going through similar situations and have support networks to hand.

You could also reach out to helplines like your GP, Mind, The Calm Zone, Alcoholics Anonymous, Beat and more who will be on hand to support you during any difficult moment.

Will you be spending Christmas alone? From everyone at Student Beans, we hope you stay safe and find these tips useful during the holiday season. We’re always here if you’d like to reach out to us on Twitter or Instagram to share your experiences.