Worldwide, there are almost 2 million people with COVID-19. Lockdowns and quarantines around the world are shutting down businesses, schools, public transportation, and more. Doctors, scientists and politicians are scrambling to try to slow down the spread of the virus and find a possible vaccine. As for everyone else, we’re all staying inside, trying our best to keep sane and normalize this situation as much as we can. And although our problems seem small compared to those of other people that were hit the hardest, it can be difficult to stay inside and kill time. It’s our contribution to society, our way of helping this situation, to stay home and not get sick and spread the virus. So while we do our part, why not utilize this extra time to focus on ourselves and discover something new? While the list of hobbies you can take up is endless, we’ve narrowed down some easy, mostly equipment less activities you can do to have fun and learn about yourself.
One hobby you can take up is art. Maybe you’re not an artist; maybe you are. The truth is, anyone can do art, you just have to have an idea. And even if you don’t have an idea, you can try origami, sketching a random flower, ordering a craft off of Amazon. You can watch YouTube videos on how to play the guitar or try sewing a little pillow with some random fabric. Maybe you’ve always wanted to take photography in school but never had the room in your schedule. Now’s the time to try it out, without the pressure of your classmates seeing it or having to get a grade for it. You can always learn to knit a little hat for Mother’s Day. Just do whatever sounds fun, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t matter.
Practicing writing can also be a lot of fun. Writing essays might have strayed you away from it, but there’s a ton of different ways you can add writing into your life. Try writing poems or short stories about topics you enjoy or relate to. Journaling is also an excellent way to reflect and express yourself. It’s also a lot of fun to read back on old journal entries, especially when an event is going on, such as this quarantine.
If you’re not really looking to get creative, get outside instead. While keeping your distance, of course, hiking, running, biking, skateboarding and more are all excellent ways to get out. It can be hard to stay inside all day, and exercise is essential since you’re not walking in the halls everyday or going to soccer practice. And even if you do want to stay inside, you can start yoga or meditation or dancing. All different ways to stay active and find something that you never knew you would enjoy.
Finally, if after all these different activities haven’t caught your attention, you can also try learning a new skill. If you want to learn a new language on a budget, you can use websites like Duolingo and watch YouTube videos. You can also learn to code on code.org and make your own video game. A lot of these skills could potentially help get you a job in the future as well. Cooking and baking are also useful and fun skills that you can use for the rest of your life.
There’s a lot you can do, and a lot of time to do it. If you’re happy playing video games or watching tv all the time, then do it. But if you want to try new things and make the most of this quarantine, then go for it. Do whatever sounds fun, and if it doesn’t work out, try something else. Obviously, this quarantine isn’t an ideal situation, and it’s taken away a lot from us. But the least we can do is take this time to stay positive and focus on improving ourselves and our lives. And maybe we can walk out of this quarantine with a greater sense of self.