Picture this: winter break 2021. You’re dozing on a sunny beach, thawing by the fire in a ski lodge, or jamming out in your best friend’s car on the road trip you’ve always wanted to take together, content and vaccinated. In today’s challenging times, it can be a good self-care activity in itself to plan the perfect vacation for when it is finally safe to do so. However in the meantime, we all deserve a COVID-conscious break from the world to relax and escape the everyday stress of our routines.
You can choose to stay local and give yourself a mental break, think of it as a vacation in spirit. Social distancing mandates that we spend free time inside our homes. The difference between an average post-work night spent watching television and an in-house vacation is the intention and preparation you put into it. Choose a set amount of time devoted to your staycation and clear your schedule of ordinary responsibilities.
The first step to a successful staycation is preparing your space. By putting in a little extra work cleaning your house before your designated “vacation” from life begins, you can create a hotel-like atmosphere to relax into. Go grocery shopping to stock up on some extra special treats and research a new restaurant you’ve never tried to order takeout.
Unplug and Relax
The point of a staycation is a break in routine, so if you are someone like me who has fallen into the habit of filling boring quarantine hours with more screen time, why not try to unplug for a bit? Give yourself permission to indulge in a hobby you might ordinarily lack the time for. For example, I’ve recently rediscovered how satisfying it is to snap in the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. With class and work on the computer and guilty pleasure Netflix binges on the TV, give your tired eyes a break! Beach reads need not be saved for the beach (did you know that the University of Oregon library has an extensive popular reading collection and pickup window for holds?!) so try getting lost in a dramatic story, or listen to an exciting audiobook while walking around your neighborhood.
Spa Day
At this point, I think every single person could use a solid twenty-four hours devoted entirely to self-care. Transform your space into a spa retreat for a day by dimming the lights, playing peaceful music, and lighting candles or an essential oil diffuser for aromatherapy. Treat yourself to a store-bought face mask or make one yourself! There are so many simple recipes you can find that use ingredients you’ll have on-hand. You can make such an easy exfoliating scrub just by mixing equal parts of sugar and coconut or olive oil. Give yourself a mental pampering as well by following along with guided meditation and yoga videos.
Bring ‘Abroad’ to Your Living Room
Blast Copacabana, turn on some party lights, and pretend for a night that you’ve teleported somewhere warm and vibrant! Ordering in from a restaurant you’ve never tried before and putting extra effort into making fancy drinks is a great way to imitate the exposure to new and different experiences we seek when we travel. Pina coladas are super easy to make, delicious, and make you feel about as far from dreary Eugene weather as you could get. All you need is frozen pineapple chunks, rum, and coconut milk. For 3 cups of pineapple, you would use ⅔ cups of coconut milk, and as much rum as you want. Blend it all up, add some ice if it’s too thick, and enjoy! If your dream vacation involves partying on the beach with your closest friends, get them in on the action—pass along the drink recipe, and host a zoom party, playing drinking games and brainstorming plans for what you’ll do on a trip together.
Seek a Change in Scenery
Absolutely can’t stand the sight of your own walls? Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by nature and many opportunities for adventuring. In Oregon we are only a few hours drive away from both the coast and mountains. For a change in pace and environment, take a day trip to walk along the beach or to explore snowy forests up on the mountain. You’ll need to brave the winter weather with a thermos full of a hot drink and layers of warm clothes, but numb toes at the end of an exciting day outdoors can be well worth it. A great university resource you might not know about is the Outdoor Program Rental Barn, located on the corner of 18th and University Street, currently open for COVID-safe reservations and curbside pick-up. They offer inexpensive rentals for all sorts of equipment you might need for an outdoor winter adventure including snow shoes, ski jackets and even camping stoves.
