Staying Busy at Home

Ever since Covid-19 hit, people have been finding new ways to keep themselves busy at home. It’s been hard not going out, but these students of FCHS are making the best of it with new hobbies and habits they started over quarantine. While most students are at home and not being able to go out like before Covid-19, it’s been hard for teens to keep busy when you’re not working on online classes. Here’s how several FCHS students are getting through these tough times.

Sophomore Landon Martin has gotten into cooking and going for walks as his hobby over quarantine. “They [the walks] make the day shorter and make me feel better,” Martin stated.

Sophomore Leilani Jackson started playing piano and exercising. “Working out helps me start my day and keep me up and working [and] staying productive,” said Jackson. Exercising helps her clear her mind and focus on something for a bit to keep her sane. “I do plan on continuing these hobbies once Covid is over because I love doing them,” she said.

Some students have come up with pretty unique new hobbies. Senior Kaylee Shreve has taken up a form of rug making called “punch needle” over quarantine to stay busy at home. “It gives me a break during the day from overthinking,” said Shreve, who added “I most likely will continue to make rugs because it’s fun and the end product is worth the time you spend making them.”

Junior Preston Rankin likes collecting anime collectibles. Anime is a combination of hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan, with many popular mainstream examples being Naruto, Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia. He collects manga, (which are Japanese comics) posters, stuffed anime characters, and Funko Pops, which is a type of figurine. “My Fuku bag and High School DXD poster are my favorite things in my collection,” said Rankin. As someone who enjoys watching anime, it just made sense to for him to start collecting things when he had the money to do so.

According to the New York Times, having a hobby can enhance your health overall. It can boost your mood and lower your stress levels, giving you time to unwind and focus on something other than work, school or home life. According to The Balance.com, some of the trendiest hobbies are exercising, reading or writing, getting creative with art supplies and crafts, and enhancing yourself through learning new things.

Having similar hobbies with friends can lead to bonding opportunities, so don’t be afraid to ask what a friend might like to do in their free time. Don’t forget to do what you like to do most now, as you may not always have as much free time in the future.