Welcome To The Vapor95
Quarantine Survival Guide

COVID-19 has impacted virtually every aspect of how we live our lives. It is affecting people on a global scale and we are all feeling the effects of measures such as self-quarantine and social distancing. Though these are no doubt necessary to protect ourselves and the global community, adjusting to this new normal can take a toll on our mental health. Luckily we are all in this together. Things like social media and Skype have bridged the gap between us and made something like self-isolation feel much less lonely. Quarantine in 2020 no doubt looks incredibly different than it would have over the years. Let’s take a look back at how quarantine has evolved throughout history.

14th century Venice was the gateway to the West. Ships would come with exotic goods, cargo and sometimes plague. Before they could dock they’d have to wait in the harbor for 40 days to prevent the spread of the Bubonic Plague or “Black Death”. In the Venetian language, 40 days was “quarantena”, which is the origin of the word quarantine. The first quarantine station was built on an island off the coast of Venice and many other European cities began building their own “lazarets” to house sick patients and maritime travellers. 

In 1793 a viral infection known as “Yellow Fever” appeared in Philadelphia and led to the creation of the first designated quarantine hospital in the United States, the Philadelphia Lazaretto. As outbreaks of Yellow Fever continued over time, Congress made the decision to implement the National Quarantine Act in 1878. This shifted quarantine decisions to a national level and we are still seeing the impacts of this in modern times.

Competing media narratives of contagion can drive a mind to the brink. There is much to know and little to do beyond keeping the door closed. If you’re stuck inside like we are, please know that the anxiety you might be feeling in the face of uncertainty is natural. The brain often knows no other way to react to uncertainty than with anxiety. Anxiety is the fear of a future that doesn’t yet exist as such, in the same way that nostalgia is a yearning for a past that never really existed. If you are at home and healthy, take a moment to breathe and remind yourself of the blessing that is your health and well-being.

Whether we end up being here for 40 days or much longer, quarantine is a time in which it can be hard to find balance. If you are lucky enough to have kept (a version of) your job then you’ll have to work, but will also need to find opportunities to relax. We are called in times such as these to reflect on how we maintain the health of our mind, body, and spirit. 

The good news is that there are plenty of ways we can overcome the feelings of anxiety, boredom, and monotony that are inevitable after spending a certain amount of time at home. We’ve compiled 5 expert tips on staying sane during the COVID-19 quarantine: 

1. Map out a daily schedule for yourself.

With many of us out of work or school, we’ve lost a sense of routine and normalcy. By creating a routine for yourself, you can maintain a sense of stability. 

2. Maintain communication with family and friends.

We are all in the same position and many of your friends and family are likely feeling bored and anxious as well. Modern technology has brought us closer than ever and times like these show us how far we’ve come. Keep in touch with your loved ones through social media or Skype.

3. Set a Daily Goal.

Try to map out at least one thing you want to accomplish for the day. It can be anything from practicing a new language, trying out a new recipe, giving your dog a bath, or even just making your bed. But setting and achieving a goal is a great way to feel accomplished.

4. Avoid Too Much News.

It’s very important to stay updated and aware of the unfolding situation, but too much exposure to negative news can take a toll on our mental health and ramp up anxiety. Try to tune out the news for a bit and engross yourself in a book or film. Try out a new hobby. Play a game with your family. Put on some music and dance. Get your mind off of the current situation as often as you can and know that all of this is just a moment in time that will pass. 

5. Try Something New.

Have you always wanted to learn a new language? Have you been talking about trying to write a book for ages but never quite found the time? Want to blow your family’s mind with some homemade lasagna? This unexpected chunk of free time many of us are experiencing is the perfect excuse to take up a new hobby. Turning your boredom into something productive and fun is a great way to make the time pass quicker. 

We at Vapor95 want you to feel supported during these confusing and unusual times. We are in this together. Our staff have compiled lists of films, television series, anime, YouTube channels, books, games, and music to help make passing the time a bit less daunting. Feel free to reach out to us with suggestions of your own! And always remember: you are never alone.

Spawn Wave Media (Gaming news)

Boundary Break (looking at what’s off-camera in video games)

Jim Sterling (video games criticism)

Ryukhar (Super Mario Maker wizzard)

State Azure (for ambient music and hardware lovers)

Andrew Ucles (for Steve Irwin fans)

Frank Yang (for the weirdest, deepest influencer ever)

Academy of Ideas (for learning and growing)

Nerdwriter1 (for very cool analysis of art, people, and ideas)

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Altered States

Reality Bites 

The Darjeeling Limited

Titanic 

Dead Poets Society 

Empire Records

Stalker

Aguirre, The Wrath Of God

American Movie

Brainstorm

Ninja Scroll

Kung Pow

The Matrix

Sans Soleil 

The Big Hack 

Pride and Prejudice

Tomorrow Never Dies 

The Matrix Trilogy (including The Animatrix)

Love Death Robots

Fight Club

Yes Man

Avatar: The Last Airbender 

Apocalypse Now Redux

Mulholland Drive

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Eraserhead

U Turn 

Izo

Audition

The Godfather Part 1 & 2

Birdman

Heat

The Fall (by Tarsem Singh)

Paprika

True Lies

The Tree Of Life

Licence to Kill

Donnie Darko

Valerian

Alita: Battle Angel

Avatar

The Fifth Element

Back To The Future

Interstellar

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Inception 

The Middle of Nowhere by Ruby Haunt

Images du Futur by Suuns

Beach House

The Advertisers 

Fiona Silver 

Miranda and The Beat

 Dirty Fences 

Dinosaur Jr. 

Kurt Vile

Yo La Tengo

Kid A by Radiohead

Massive Attack

Ed Rush & Optical

Carbon Based Lifeforms

Jackie Gleason

Sufjan Stevens

Mozart‘s late string quartets 

Hilary Hahn playing the Chaconne from Bach’s 2nd Partita for violin

All The Way Up by Fat Joe & Remy Ma 

All of Montiverdi’s Madrigals 

Cursebreaker X by Equip

Polychrome by Koan Sound

Rose by Abra

Leaving EP by Skrillex

Untrue by Burial

Vapor95 X Darknet Mixes

Human by Henry Saiz

Nothing Is Still by Leon Vynehall

Destination Unknown by Pig&Dan

Damage Control by Mat Zo

Nuovo Morceau Subrosa by BT

Tipper

kll sMTH

Charles the First

Supertask

String Cheese Incident

Excision

Estas Tonne

Eminem

AC/DC

Two Steps From Hell

Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky

Tales of Power by Carlos Castendeda

The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test by Tom Woolfe

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Beastie Boys Book

The Stand by Stephen King

The Shining by Stephen King

No One Here Gets Out Alive by Jerry Hopkins

Wu Tang Manual 

The Last Don by Mario Puzo

The Family by Mario Puzo

Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins 

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown 

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer.

The Kingdom Of God by Leo Tolstoy

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson

Hyperion by  Dan Simmons

Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

The Rainbow by DH Lawerence 

Art Without Death: Conversations on Russia Cosmism by e-flux journal 

Finding a Form by William Gass 

Futures Past by Reinhardt Koselleck 

Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Altered Carbon by Takeshi Kovacs

The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming

Here Comes The Roar by Dave Shaw

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut 

The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time by Preston Nichols

The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov

Dark

The Office

Mad Men

Halt And Catch Fire

Maniac

Undone

Off The Air by Adult Swim

The 100

Brutal Doom

Fallout New Vegas

Super Mario World

Parasite Eve

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 

Donkey Kong

Nickelodeon GUTS (for Super Nintendo)

The Witcher 

Wild Hunt

Earthbound

Battlefield

Starcraft 2

Fallout 4

Oceanhorn 2 (on Apple Arcade) 

Super Mario 3D land

Kirby Planet Robot 

Mirrors Edge

Far Cry 

Gravity Rush

Need For Speed 

Assassins Creed 

Super Mario Kart

Twisted Metal: Black

Final Fantasy 1 

Def Jam: Fight for New York

Antichamber

Overwatch

Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild

Super Mario Map Maker

Witcher 3

Diablo

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Escape From Tarkov

Forza Horizon 4

Destiny 2

Akira

Paprika

Castlevania

Ninja Scroll 

“I recommend making music (at least trying). It's the most fun and amazing thing to do and if you don't know how to, you now have a lot of time in your bedroom to learn to make some beautiful sounds.”

“Get online design courses."

"Prepare your e-commerce business and strategy and run it out when the world situation is back to normal."

“Buy the dip.”

"Invest in crypto or biotech while the prices are reaching zero, if you can. It’s a win-win for you and the world, because the biotech center is trying to make a vaccine and you will get paid when the vaccine is finally developed and works."

"A good time to start a YouTube channel."

"Write your own book."

 
Comment Below & Tell Us How You're Getting Through This!