Remote in Albany: The Quarantine
You read that right! This blog is being to brought to you by COVID-19. Quarantine is mandatory for new visitors in New York State. We’re still in a pandemic, guys, so no surprise here. Thankfully, if there is one thing I’m always ok with, it’s getting some quality me-time in. And as a virtual worker, I’m remote and often working from home anyway. Two weeks of quarantine? Piece of cake! Here’s the low-down on what I learned and how well it worked to keep me sane.
QOA: Quarantine On Arrival
When I arrived in the state, I called Albany’s Department of Health who took down some information then made sure I had every single thing I needed. If I didn’t, they would have someone pick it up for me! Thankfully, with the family I have in the city, they helped deliver groceries, packages, and items needed to get me through the two weeks. With the daily text checking-in, it’s been an overall positive experience. And if I started feeling sick? I would get another text laying out the exact steps I need to take to monitor symptoms. Albany’s got it together! Everyone that I spoke to in the department of health about resources and requirements was incredibly nice too. And the best part of the daily check-ins is the countdown reminders until I’m free to roam. I’m actually writing this with 2 days left! Thanks, Department of Health!
Getting Acquainted
Virtually high fiving the DOH aside, being inside 24/7 has been a nice way to get myself settled into a daily routine again. Nothing like a marathon road trip to completely shake your normal up! It’s always an adjustment period no matter how much you prepare yourself. Little things like operating central AC or getting used to stairs again were easier to get acquainted with without the rush of getting ready to jet somewhere. Know what I mean? There are just always small learning curves as your adapt to your new place. That’s why you should always give yourself buffer time to make it your own. Sage it, deep clean it or cast a spell, you need to make it feel like home, Dorothy.
Home Sweet Home, Hudson Park
The thing I’m MOST grateful for? The space I’m in. Hudson Park is perfection! The nice folks at Hudson Park truly created this place straight out of a millennial’s HGTV fever dreams. An old brewery back in its heyday, the developers of Hudson Park kept the brick facade and industrial beaming in each unit which now holds about 75 apartments throughout two buildings. Complete with a co-working space and an open-air courtyard with a fireplace, everything outside the unit is as cute as everything inside my own unit. Location is ideal too! Just a couple blocks away from the State Capital, Lark Street, Washington Park, and across the street- Lincoln Park!
Here are some of the features from the apartments including my own:
Exposed wood ceilings
Industrial beams
Modern kitchen
HUGE bathroom
Laundry In-Unit
Murphy Bed
Sofa that is made to move around
Skylight- Oh yes photog friends - I have natural light for days!
I’m a minimalist at heart so I don’t have much, which made this studio the perfect match for me. What it didn’t have in square footage (which to be honest- there’s a decent amount already) it made up for its modern vibes. The only additional furniture brought in was a simple fold-out table and chair set my aunt lent me so I had a makeshift desk and dining space. The beams serve as my closet. There’s a nook that I use for cozy activities. With the nature of the portable couch, table, chairs, and murphy bed, I’m able to create different layouts each day to work and lounge in. It may mean that my TV doesn’t have its own dedicated stand to sit on, but it does mean I don’t get bored. That’s a true win-win situation.
TAKE A LOOK:
Things to do with extra me-time
I may be used to me-time with all the self-care I do but it’s different when you’re forced to figure out how to keep your mental health happy with no option of making plans or wandering outside for a walk. So what did I do instead?
Start planning for 2021: No, it’s not too early! I got to work planting seeds for the new year and starting the projects that will elevate Vow + Vast. It’s honestly a fun thing to do because you’re forced to look at all the good ahead!
Take up a new hobby: If you know me, you know that I’ve been talking about revamping my personal instagram forever. Well, now I’ve officially started. With all the natural light in my apartment, there were zero excuses not to pick up my camera again and start figuring out how to take pictures of myself in my thrift finds and borrowed items from my revolving closet at Valhalla. A strategy is almost in place and the planning is underway!
Experiment with space layouts: As you saw from above, I move furniture a lot to find my optimum working areas.
Learn a thing or two: You know those freebies and courses you’ve been dying to download? I finally did that during the extra downtime and I was inspired! 10/10 recommend you take that plunge too. There are always opportunities to develop professionally.
Just be: Ever not do anything? The just lay in your favorite pair of pajamas and not do a thing kind of anything. You should try it. That’s how you find out if you can truly be OK in your own presence without distractions. It also jogs your mind to work through unresolved issues, come up with new ideas for personal and professional growth, and if you turned the downstairs light off.
Listen to the new Glass Animals album: It’s truly their best yet. I can’t stop listening. My neighbors are 100% annoyed with me and we haven’t officially met yet.
Even though my quarantine is almost over, does not mean I’ll be giving up these activities. The next challenge post-quarantine is to keep it up! Continue to incorporate the kinds of newly discovered me-time. Continue to make my new temporary space my own. Continue to try to thrive in a new city during a pandemic.
What have you discovered in your quarantine?
Cheers,
Kristen
