There is a thin line between anxious procrastination and intentional resting. Today is April 15.

I fully admit I am addicted to journalism. Rather than shutting off my phone and powering down my computer near bedtime, I checked my messages late into the nigh. This resulted in me staying up at least an hour past midnight working on a post and helping a fellow staff member with a technical problem. I enjoyed troubleshooting and tinkering, but my body and mind were more than happy to remind me of my late night when I woke up this morning.

I slept in and wasted away much of my morning. My mind couldn’t focus on any one task for too long, and my eyelids kept drooping shut. My dad and I were giving blood today, so I made sure to eat breakfast and drink plenty of fluids before going. I had scheduled my appointment for around 1 p.m., but my dad’s was closer to noon, so I went when he did. Lucky for us, the American Red Cross workers were able to get us both in quickly.

Because I get allergy shots every week, I’m not afraid of needles. The sight of blood doesn’t make me woozy, and for my age my height and weight don’t create any problems with not being able to produce enough blood when donating. During the car ride over to Stephens College (where the blood drive was taking place), I used the Red Cross app on my phone to fill out the Rapid Pass health questionnaire. By completing this ahead of time, I was able to minimize how long I needed to spend around other people.

When we got to the blood drive, my dad and I signed in. A worker took our temperatures and handed us masks to wear. I didn’t know this until I had finished donating, but apparently I was wearing my mask upside down the whole time. After another worker asked me a few standard questions, took my blood pressure, checked my temperature again and pricked my finger to check my iron levels, I was ready to start donating. 

The initial needle stick was slightly more painful than I’m used to, and my left elbow is still a little sore from the experience. I seem to be a fast bleeder because I was in and out in record time. I picked up a few snacks and a box of apple juice from a table to help replenish my fluids and energy and headed out the door.

 Following a quick detour to the bank so my dad could deposit some money, we were back home again. I thoroughly washed my hands and made sure to switch into clean clothes. Even though I doubted I’d been around anyone with COVID-19, I didn’t feel like taking any chances. My dad made us both egg sandwiches, and I hung out with my mom for a little while because I hadn’t seen her much today.

As far as how my life can sometimes be, today was pretty uneventful. I spent most of my late afternoon and evening watching Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and talking with my mom. Because chilly weather is headed our way later this week, I am planning on going for a walk first thing tomorrow morning. I have a Zoom meeting with my Advanced Placement Psychology class around 3 p.m. tomorrow, so before then I want to read the latest chapter from our textbook. 

If I wake up around 9 a.m., I should have more than enough time before the virtual lecture. I plan on putting on my playlist of piano study music and taking concise notes. That way, after the Zoom meeting ends, I’ll have the rest of the day to do what I want without worrying about finishing the reading. As much as I’m enjoying my lazy days, I do want to keep applying myself to my schoolwork and not ignore it entirely. I hope my schedule for tomorrow will be an easy way to nudge me back into a more academic-centered routine.

“How old do you have to be before you know what’s going on?” ― Calvin and Hobbes

How did you spend your 29th day of social distancing? Let us know in the comments below.