By Meghan Casey Loftus
I sat down with Sam to discuss what she has been doing to stay positive during quarantine - including her go-to foods, podcasts and much more!
Meghan: Where is the first place you will go when we are back in NYC?
Samantha: What a tough question! Besides going to all of my friends’ apartments, I will probably be going to Future You in the East Village to grab my favorite Iced Mocha coffee. Or any pizza place. I’m really missing a slice of New York pizza.
Meghan: What have you been reading during quarantine?
Samantha: I have been reading some very inspirational books! Educated by Tara Westover is great (shout out to Meghan for letting me borrow). Live by Sadie Robertson, The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan and Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker are all great reads as well!
Meghan: Have you listened to any new podcasts recently? New music?
Samantha: Yes and yes! This is a great time to listen to different podcasts – some I would suggest are Skimm’d from The Couch, The Skinny Confidential, Ageless, Pretty Big Deal, Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations and Girl Boss Radio. As for music, I’ve been into listening to Chill House music, which is great to have on while doing work or reading. Also, I can’t leave out Dua Lipa’s new album, Future Nostalgia! All of her songs in that album are brilliant. I’ve been creating different playlists in Apple Music, which is something I normally don’t have the motivation to do.
Meghan: Who is one person you would suggest to follow on Instagram?
Samantha: For anyone who is looking for some great at-home workouts, I would suggest following Melissa Wood! She is the creator of Melissa Wood Health and has AMAZING Pilates and Yoga routines to flow to. She is the reason I have fallen in love with Pilates. I have to suggest a few others – Cosmopolitan, MantraMagazine and Pisco_cat!
Meghan: Are you a coffee or tea person?
Samantha: I’m a coffee person all the way. Iced coffee to be exact.
Meghan: Avocado toast or oatmeal?
Samantha: Avocado toast is my go-to meal!
Meghan: Beer, wine or cocktail?
Samantha: I love wine but have to go with a cocktail. I love going to new bars in NYC and trying their recommended cocktail.
Meghan: Pasta or pizza?
Samantha: Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a pizza lover. I could seriously eat it for every meal. It is a pretty bad addiction.
Meghan: Zoom or facetime?
Samantha: I used to only use facetime pre-quarantine, however Zoom has been a close contender these days. So many quarantine mems on Zoom lol!
Meghan: Summer or winter?
Samantha: Summer, summer, summer! I hate the cold, although I love winter clothes. But I’m the happiest when I’m outside on a summer day.
Meghan: Instagram or tik tok?
Samantha: I have a new obsession with Tik Tok to where I won’t even know that an hour has passed and I’ve fallen into an endless Tik Tok black hole. However, Instagram is the winner as I love it for many different reasons.
Meghan: Do you have any new hobbies or brought back any old habits since being back in NC?
Samantha: With extra free time on my hands, I have tried to implement old habits back into my daily routine. I have been journaling every day and making sure to write down 3 things I’m grateful for. This is a game changer for allowing myself to feel happy. 90% of your long term happiness is how your brain processes external events! My other hobbies include going on runs, meditating, reading, Pilates and working on improving my Photoshop skills!
Meghan: Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Samantha: I hate to admit it, but I can’t stop BINGE WATCHING shows that I am sure everyone and their mothers have seen. I am the one person who will be in a conversation with my friends talking about shows and I have watched zero of them. And I figured, what better time than NOW to catch up! So, you’re going to gasp when I name off what I am just now getting around to watching but a few shows are: Grey’s Anatomy, Unorthodox, The Office, New Girl, Ozark and have been convinced to start watching The Vampire Diaries. Also, a must watch is Little Fires Everywhere. I am aware of how much I have been missing out on.
Meghan: Any new favorite clean beauty brands?
Samantha: I try to use beauty and skincare products that are cruelty free and somewhat natural – especially when it comes to face cleansers! Cruelty Cutter is an app that allows you to scan the barcode on products to see whether it is cruelty-free or not! Recently, I have been using Drunk Elephant (on the pricier side but their moisturizer is amazing) and Ole Henriksen. I have also been dying to try Summer Fridays!
Meghan: What are your favorite loungewear brands to shop right now?
Samantha: A few of my favorite loungewear brands are:
TNA – from Aritzia– great sweatshirts and they are on sale!
Fabletics– Surprisingly love their athletic wear! Was hesitant to try at first but now I lounge in their leggings all day!
Aerie – All of their loungewear is SO soft! I could live in it.
Skims – I have not bought anything from Skims yet but really want to buy the knit pants! Has anyone bought/like this brand?
Meghan: What aspect of NY has been nice to have a break from?
Samantha: It has been nice to have a break from the hustle. Now, I don’t mean I miss the “hustle” in terms of doing things that further my career and skill set. My career is the main reason why I am living in NYC and why most other people are too. I mean “hustle” in the sense of never slowing down. Never taking time to relax. Never relishing in hobbies that better my mental health. I was so consumed in my fast paced daily routine that I never just stopped and took a deep breath. As I am sitting here in quarantine writing this from my home in North Carolina, I do miss my daily routine in NYC. I miss all the people I see on my walk to work, I miss grabbing a coffee from my favorite place in the East Village, I miss having evening plans with friends that create lasting memories. I miss it all. However, quarantine has given me a new perspective on what I should be filling my daily routine up with. Being at home with abundant time on my hands has allowed me to realize that taking time for myself ultimately brings me relaxation, peace and happiness. I am finding happiness in the small things. Things such as reading, journaling, meditating in the morning, going on short runs and finding hobbies that convey creativity. Taking a break from the hustle of NYC has led me to realize what truly matters in the short amount of time we have on Earth.
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