In the beginning of this extensive break from school I realized that I didn’t have any hobbies. For the first time in my life, I was bored. The things I had spent all of highschool focusing on were suddenly gone: academics, friends, and dance. So throughout this time of uncertainty, I have pursued 5 things that have made me a little more productive and my life a little more interesting.

1. Drawing

A coloring book has sat in my room for the past 4 years with only one picture fully colored. It had become more of a decoration and less of a pastime. However, as my days started to lose potency, I decided to pick up the book for the first time in years. As silly as it sounds, finishing a picture in that coloring book gave me the push I needed to start new hobbies that I had once loved. 

2. Cooking 

During the school year, I had fallen into a routine of eating the quickest and most accessible foods in my pantry; I wasn’t thinking about what I truly wanted. After the lockdown began, I realized how much time I now had to make my own meals. I began finding recipes for my favorite foods. I have never been one to take risks; however, cooking my own meals has inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. 

3. Music

You can ask any of my friends to verify, but I have always been guilty of stealing their music. Although, not seeing my friends for close to two months has widened my horizon on different music styles and genres. I have begun to make different playlists that represent my most common moods, and finding new music gives me a rush of excitement that I have never felt. 

4. Movies

I have always said that I didn’t like movies. There was never enough character development, the plot twists were never big enough, and I could guess how the movie was going to end 98% of the time. I had accepted that watching movies was never going to be how I wanted to spend my time. Until one day over this helplessly long break, I impulsively watched a movie beginning to end. This triggered an endless love for movies that I didn’t know I had. Since then, I have created a list of over 30 movies that I have watched. Some have been indefinitely loved and some wildly hated.

5. Fitness

I have always enjoyed working out, but over the course of the last few months, I have learned to love it. I could check everything off of my to-do list, but if I don’t do any form of physical activity, I still feel unproductive. Working out has brought back stability into my life; I find my mind getting lost in the motions and wandering off to fond memories and the future.