At-home substitutes- quarantine edition

If you live in the GTA like I do, many businesses still remain closed so I wanted to write about the different ways to substitute what I would normally do for at-home alternatives 🙂 Boba: I can’t say this enough—oh how I miss bubble tea. Even though most bubble tea shops are still open around my area, it’s a hassle to go out just to buy boba, so out of desperation, I resorted to making my own! All I need is milk tea (of any choice), tapioca starch and brown sugar—that’s it! Since I’ve only made boba twice, I made the classic brown sugar tapioca. But you can always try different flavours like Matcha tapioca if you’re feeling creative! There are a lot of recipes online (this is the recipe I used) and it’s super easy to make—but it does take a while to make the tapioca. Also, one tip: make the tapioca slightly smaller than usual because it does expand after you boil it and if it’s too big, it doesn’t fit through the straw! I must admit, it doesn’t taste exactly like the professional boba, but it’s enough to satisfy my cravings during these times 🙂

   Nail art: Nail salons remain closed, and although I haven’t been going out much (except to buy groceries with my mom), I still like to get my nails done because it just makes me happy. I ordered a bunch of nail polish colours and nail stickers/decor on Amazon so when I’m watching Netflix, I like to paint my nails and treat myself to a little spa day. If I’m feeling extra lazy, I’ll just use the Kiss press-on nails which are super easy to use.   At-home café: If you know me, you would know how much I love going to cafes to enjoy a cup of coffee while I study. Of course, this isn’t possible right now, so instead, I got a coffee machine and some Starbucks and McCafe Keurig K-cups which do the trick! I also love making Dalgona coffee, which was super popular a while back. It's really easy to make and tastes amazing! If I’m feeling extra *fancy*, I would go to the nearest bakery to buy pastries alongside my homemade coffee.

As quarantine continues, I hope you are able to try out some of these tricks! 🙂