Caitlyn Tran Clack. Clack. Clack. Aside from the occasional “chi,” “peng,” and “gang,” the sound of mahjong tiles against the table resonated throughout the silent room and contributed to the intense atmosphere of concentration as we each raced to build a winning hand. However, as focused as I was on trying to win the game, a part of me was also carefully watching the clock and thinking about all the time I would have to catch up on studying.
Entering college, I never imagined that mahjong would be part of my experience. Growing up, I was always taught that academics came first above all else, so I envisioned sleepless nights of studying in my room as my entire college life. Although this is not far from the truth since I unfortunately do spend a great deal of my time holed up in my dorm studying, I have also started taking steps toward improving my mental health. However, I never realized that this goal toward better mental health would involve a late night of learning one way to play mahjong. At first, I imagined good mental health habits as occasional bullet journaling, which allowed my creativity and productivity to thrive at the same time. However, according to a study by Zhuo Chen from the University of Georgia, Athens, and his colleagues from various Chinese universities, social activities like mahjong correlate with a decline in depressive symptoms. Since mahjong is an activity that promotes social participation, even playing once a week or more can correlate to improved mental health. This is perhaps an important revelation to both me and other members of the Asian Pacific Islander community. Every time I take breaks, I think that I am wasting time, but taking breaks by playing mahjong with friends or engaging in other activities, such as playing cards, joining sports, or participating in clubs, has actually increased my focus, thereby also increasing my productivity and efficiency. Clack. Clack. Clack. We’re playing mahjong again. Although I have not come close to mastering the game, I smile to myself even as the time continues to tick by because I have realized the benefits of engaging in social activities, such as mahjong. It’s my turn now. I scan my tiles: run, three of a kind, run, three of a kind, pair, and lay them down. “Hu le.” If you would like to learn about how to play Mahjong, here is a good place to start: If you would like to read the study correlating mahjong and social participation to mental health, here is a link to the research paper:
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Calvin NguyenNot-so-good stuff has happened since the last coronavirus blog post. The US president has declared a national emergency. Multiple countries across the globe are basically under lockdown. My buddy date got postponed. This is truly the worst case scenario. Humming Barbie Girl while scrubbing our hands isn’t going to save us anymore. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
In order to ensure your survival, you’ve raided the local Costco for all the rice and toilet paper. You’ve barricaded yourself inside your house like it's Berlin in 1945. You’ve ignored every single doorbell from disgruntled shoppers demanding you share your toilet paper (you won’t). All according to keikaku. You flop onto your plastic-lined couch, replace the air-filter on your gasmask, and relax peacefully with the knowledge that your Fortress of Solitude shall not fall to the evils of the coronavirus. A second passes. Then another. Then you realize just how unbelievably bored you are. That’s perfectly understandable. Socially isolating yourself from your friends and family for an indefinite amount of time certainly isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. In times of apocalyptic chaos, keeping your mind active and healthy is important. That’s why I’m going to talk about different ways you can keep yourself entertained while in quarantine. Zip up your hazmat suits and strap in kiddos. Let’s get started! Exercise. As bad as it may seem, a global pandemic is the perfect opportunity to tone your muscles and improve your cardio. Some people will tell you that the best way to exercise is to go to the gym and hit the bench press. Those people would normally have a valid opinion, but it’s not the best idea to leave the safety of your bunker during this uncertain time. For that reason, here’s a list of stay-at-home exercises that you can do to keep your heart pumping!
I’ll be honest. You’re probably going to see this list, perhaps try it for a few days, and give up and forget that you ever did these exercises within a week. But hey, it was worth a shot. Play Video Games. Some people believe that video games cause violence. Now, even if my 600 hours of playing Payday 2 taught me how to rob a federal bank (which they haven’t), I can’t really rob a bank when they’re all shut down because of the outbreak. Video games are a fun way to keep your mind active during a nationwide lockdown, so here’s a list of recommended titles to help pass the time!
Create Art. What is art? Is art defined by its visual, creative, or auditory beauty? Is it the final manifestation of immense creative freedom and expression? Is it a sensual symbol of cultural strength that embodies the spirit of the human mind? I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t really care. If creating whatever you consider art makes you feel better about your social isolation, go nuts. Art is whatever you want it to be, whether it be literature, drawing, or music. Keeping your mind active by challenging it to create new and imaginative pieces is a fantastic way to stave off boredom. There’s no surefire method to creating art, but a popular tip to try is to transform tragedy into whatever medium you’re trying to convey. Lord of the Rings was allegedly based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s experiences in the First World War. Vincent van Gogh created some of his most famous paintings while he was recovering in a mental hospital. Taylor Swift based “Blank Space” off an actual psychiatric break (this hasn’t actually been confirmed, but I’m convinced it’s true). As you’re surrounded by a global pandemic, what better way to cope with your stresses than to turn them into a creative masterpiece? If you’re feeling particularly bored, perhaps you could even write an article. It could be about anything you want: politics, history, or even mental health. Maybe you could write an educational piece about staying safe from the coronavirus. Maybe, in your self-isolation and growing need for mental stimulation as the hours slowly tick by, one by one as the world gradually degrades into disorder and chaos just as the Second Law of Thermodynamics foresaw, you could write a blog post about trying to prevent the very thing that’s slowly eating away at your soul. Just a thought. Talk to Your Friends: So you’ve exercised and toned your muscles to perfection. You’ve simultaneously created a home for yourself on a deserted island and torn apart demonic invaders with your bare hands. You’ve created an incredible art piece and submitted it for the world to see on Deviantart. Now you’re bored again. You’ve done everything you can. How in the world are you supposed to keep yourself sane? You ponder for a moment, fiddling with the air filter on your gas mask. Then you realize. Friends. The best way to fight social isolation is to remove isolation from the equation. You can’t physically meet up with anybody, but that’s why technology exists. Open up your text messages and start hitting up some of your friends. Check up on them. Ask them how they’re doing. Facetime them. Compliment them on how nice their hazmat suit looks today. Bond over your mutual stress over the pandemic. We might be socially isolated, but we are isolated only physically. Through the internet and social media, we can continue to stay active and be with our loved ones. The COVID-19 outbreak is a time for us to stick together and prevail over tragedy. We’re scared. Our lives have been disrupted unfairly. Some of us have friends and family in danger, and the world seems like it’s collapsing in front of our faces. But it’s going to be alright. One of the greatest things about mankind is that we can band together when the time truly calls for us to do so. We don’t have to face this alone. We never had to. Despite everything that’s happening, we can get through this. Together. |
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