I’ve talked a bit about quarantine facilities themselves, but I haven’t delved into the experience itself, specifically in South Korea. As of this post, made in early November of 2020, and until restrictions change, quarantine is required for two weeks from the date of arrival. Two weeks in one location is certainly no small feat, and is dreaded by many. I’m here to help you feel a little less daunted by this process, or at the very least to give you a better idea of what two weeks of isolation can look like. In my opinion, quarantine needn’t be dreaded; rather, it can be looked at as a good thing! Here are some of my tips and observations from my two-week stint alone.
In my case, quarantine meant fourteen days in a small Airbnb (an apartment with bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom), which certainly lead to some slight stir-craziness, despite having a TV, Wifi, and a window to look out of. Luckily, I came decently prepared for this solitude—my old Korean textbooks, some notebooks for journaling and studying, and of course my laptop for occasional movie nights/TV bingeing.
This brings me to tip #1: I do not recommend banking on streaming services to get you through the two weeks, as that gets old fast. Instead, bring other activities to occupy yourself and to break up the monotony; books to read, notes to study, crafts, and so forth can help you feel at least slightly less bored. Another reason not to bank on these services is that many are not offered here in Korea, or are significantly different than they are at home. For example, DisneyPlus is entirely unavailable in Korea, and Netflix’s offerings are in many ways quite different than those at home. This is can be bypassed by installing a VPN, which will allow you to “appear” to be at home despite being abroad, which I would recommend doing before leaving. While this is an additional fee, it is considered worthwhile by many, especially those with particular shows in mind. That being said, don’t expect to be bingeing all the Disney princess movies unless you’re willing to cough up a few extra dollars per month.
Tip #2 sounds simple, but is far less so than you’d expect: establish a solid routine. Jet lag often hits people hard, but it is far easier to overcome when you’re out and about, exposed to daylight, and having fun. When you’re trapped inside alone for fourteen days, overcoming the exhaustion that comes from switching time zones can be quite difficult. Many of my friends talked about their struggles with getting adjusted to the new time zone as they mentioned giving into their body’s desire to stay on their original schedule—this often meant 6am bedtimes and 3pm mornings. While you CAN let your body win the fight and maintain a strange sleep schedule, I would recommend doing your best to adapt to Korean time. The first day or so of quarantine left me feeling rather sleepy in the middle of the day, however I resisted the urge to nap in order to allow myself to sleep at a normal bed time for the new time zone. I also refused to let myself sleep much more than 8 hours so I would not find myself wide awake at night due to too much sleep.
In addition to establishing a normal sleep schedule, try to establish an activity routine. For me, this meant that at about 8am, I’d have breakfast, 12pm lunch, and 6pm dinner; I would usually watch a movie or TV in the morning, then would call family and friends between breakfast and lunch (as this was evening in the States and most were home to talk), then I would study Korean between lunch and dinner (note: whether improving upon the Korean you know or studying some useful basics, taking this time during quarantine to learn the language of the country is a very wise move). After dinner, I would shower and then call family once again. Additionally, I made sure to do other, smaller tasks that took up time and helped me feel more organized and less lazy—every morning I would make my bed, change into my “day clothes,” wash my face and fix my hair. When I cooked dinner, I cooked everything as I needed it (as in, if I needed two hardboiled eggs for my ramen, I would not make many at once for the next meals, but rather did only the two I needed presently to take up additional time), and then immediately washed the dishes. Doing all this helped me feel as though I were accomplishing things, gave me a routine, and gave me small goals to achieve throughout the day. Many times, it also merely helped to take up time.
With schedules in mind, I’ll bring up tip #3. I recommend talking to friends and family as often as possible, as the isolation can get very lonely at times. Try to discuss with those you wish to communicate with the time zone difference, communication challenges, and scheduling so that they are aware of what times they can call/expect to hear from you as well as how to reach you once you’re in Korea. I was able to find time slots that were mutually convenient for both myself and those I was calling, and a routine was eventually established. This was made easier by the fact that before my departure, I explained the time difference as well as what messaging apps should be utilized for those who were not aware. I would advise requesting your friends and family to download KakaoTalk, the primary messaging app in Korea, as SIM card changes can make it difficult if not impossible to message/call people as normal. Once those sorts of things are settled, you can spend time communicating with people back home, which was one of the best ways I spent my time in quarantine. Remember, whether you get your SIM card prior to quarantine or after, you likely will not be able to make long distance calls back home to your country, save the use of phone minutes for local needs. Since South Korea is known for strong and widespread Wifi connectivity, regardless of where you quarantine, you should have Wifi access (If you get an Airbnb, make sure this is listed as an amenity). This will allow you to use Facetime, Skype, or KakaoTalk video.
Tip #4 is more applicable to those planning on doing some traveling while in Korea. Quarantine is the perfect time to map out some of your future travels, including deciding where to go, how to get there, where to stay once you’ve arrived, and so forth. If you are a student, once classes begin, you’ll find that you have a decent amount on your hands, between studies and socialization, so you will likely be less able or willing to spend time on planning. However, during quarantine, you’ll have a great deal of time to do research and organize your plans, making it an ideal time to do this.
My final tip, tip #5, is more abstract and likely will not be to everyone’s taste: reflection and mindfulness. If I am entirely honest, while quarantine was not the most fun I’ve ever had, it was not entirely dreadful either. While there were moments of stir-craziness or loneliness, these can be combated by staying productive, sticking to a schedule, socializing virtually, and taking time to really take in the situation. I often would remind myself that while I was rather sick of being stuck inside, I had made it to Korea despite all the challenges that had arisen due to a worldwide pandemic and that I was facing a year of exciting adventure; following my time here in Korea, I knew I would one day wish I could be back in quarantine with the year’s experiences ahead, rather than behind me. Additionally, I found that the two weeks also presented a new experience that I became quickly grateful for: I was finally forced to slow down, to take time staying less busy and more relaxed. Especially as a college student, I am so often pushing myself to accomplish one thing after another, and am trying to balance and multitask constantly, so having a chance to live a bit more calmly was lovely. Additionally, I repeatedly thought of how interesting the quarantine situation was, and how likely during no other period of my life will I have the opportunity to have two weeks where I can do nothing productive at all and have that be acceptable! As I write this, in the midst of mid-term exam week chaos, I am reminded of how, if framed correctly, quarantine can be somewhat of a blessing.
Everyone approaches quarantine differently, and each person may have a different goal for their two weeks. Regardless of how you envision yours, I hope that these tips can help better prepare you for the time alone. Go into the time with a positive attitude, with a solid plan, and with the tools to stay occupied and entertained.
Helpful Hints:
-Bring snacks from home!!! While you can purchase snacks here if you’re in independent quarantine housing, many of my friends, as well as myself, relayed a craving for a taste of home while sitting alone with nothing much to do. In addition to knocking out your cravings, this will save you some money, as many of your favorites (if available) end up being quite costly here.
-I would recommend packing the clothing and items you will need for quarantine life in a separate bag/section within your luggage. This way, you will not have to mess up your organizational system or constantly go in and out of your luggage whenever you need something. Ahead of time, I decided upon which clothes I would want for the two weeks (my “day and night” comfy outfits along with an outfit for getting COVID tested and for dormitory move-in), and put anything else I would need nearby so I could place all of it in a storage spot and could forget the luggage until I moved out.
-When selecting a quarantine spot, assess what supplies will be offered. For example, if your accommodation has a washing machine, find out whether detergent will be offered. If it is not, you will either have to sacrifice luggage space for some, or you will have to wait to do laundry until you can attain a grocery haul. In my case, I did not pay attention to the entire list of things offered or not offered in the Airbnb, and brought microwave popcorn only to realize the room had no microwave. Overall, doing such research will give you a better idea of what to pack.
-If you are planning on staying in an Airbnb, I would highly recommend finding an accommodation with a window (specifically one with some sort of view, as a fellow student I know had a window that looked out on a blank brick wall). Although my Airbnb was small, there was a window above the sink that offered fresh air and a view of the outside world that became very loved by me very early on in my stay. All times of day and night, I was able to experience the outside without ever stepping outside; while this may seem a dramatic overassessment of a window’s importance, I truly believe the ability to see life going on outside helped make quarantine manageable. As I mentioned, I had established a routine, including preparing dinner around rush hour which allowed me to feel less alone as many people could be seen rushing around on the street below. The ability to feel a breeze every now and then, or to see and hear a thunderstorm truly is wonderful when trapped inside for two weeks.
-This may be a little less related to the main post, but I feel it is very important. If your school or other accommodation permits it (as in, if they allow you to move in far enough in advanced), and/or if your budget allows it, I would recommend planning to quarantine a couple of weeks before your semester starts. Having been in Korea before, I knew how many things I would want to do or visit again before classes made my schedule a bit tighter, so I intentionally came to Korea earlier than necessary. As such, I had about two weeks of freedom; during this time, I was able to meet fellow students, go on various adventures, reacclimate to life here, and establish a friend group. This was very worthwhile as I felt like I got some adventuring out of my system, and I did not feel resentful of having to go straight from quarantine to class. Furthermore, having a week or so of free time is wise to have as it can act as a buffer. Many of my friends from various countries discussed issues like visa trouble; one was unable to get their visa from the embassy until the morning they left, while another could not get theirs at all near the date they had planned, resulting in an overlap of their quarantine with classes. While these are in a sense worst-case-scenarios, there is always a risk that something will go awry. Therefore, allowing yourself some extra time as a buffer will mitigate the negative outcomes of visa challenges, flight cancellations, and so forth. Overall, giving yourself a week or two extra has both social and practical benefits, so if possible, I highly encourage planning for this.
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