Buying Candles Saved Me in Quarantine

If You’re Going to Be Stuck in Your Childhood Bedroom, You Might as Well Spice It Up.

written by Carina Lee | designed by Izzy Critchfield-Jain

On March 21, 2020, I boarded a Southwest flight to LAX kicking and screaming. Words could not even begin to describe how upset I was. When I was seventeen, I had made the decision to go to college in Boston so I could get as far away from the Orange County bubble as I possibly could. My whole life was in Boston now; so much of my personal growth had taken place in this city. Now, all the progress I made seemed to be thrown out the window entirely. It felt like I was reverting back to my fifteen-year-old self. It was happening right before my eyes and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Since it seemed like I was already moving backwards, I decided to take a stroll down memory lane. As I began to recall my high school days, I remembered that my AP Psychology teacher in my junior year had told my class that our brains are most receptive to smells. My mind immediately jumped to scented candles. I couldn’t help but wonder what scent could temper my frustration. Maybe if I had a nice smelling room, I could condition myself into accepting a loss of independence. As long as I had cozy candles, maybe I could tolerate living under my parents’ roof. Even though this whole idea made me feel like Pavlov’s dog, it couldn’t hurt to try.

When I arrived home, part of me was also itching to spend money, and shopping for soy candles on Etsy provided temporary relief to my boredom. It got tricky sometimes browsing between different candle companies because of a simple fact…you can’t smell through a screen. Throughout this process, however, I learned that I really enjoy citrusy and musky smells (but NOT a combination of the two), and lavender’s scent never failed to put me at ease. Citrus scents really lifted my mood and made me cheerful, while muskier scents made me feel very warm and cozy. Safe to say, I think the candles worked!

As the world continues to fall apart, the only thing within your control is your own actions. And, you can choose to direct your energy towards what truly makes you happy. When left unsupervised, my very niche interests develop. I found that for me, candles were little details in life that just bring me joy.