Since students have been cooped up in their houses all day, they’ve had a lot of extra time on their hands. Although many of us have spent quarantine bingeing Netflix, some Wilson students have spent their time learning new hobbies. 

A lot of people have learned to play new musical instruments over quarantine. Junior Gabe Schwartz learned how to play the piano by ear, explaining how it helped him to be “a better musician.” Similarly, senior Tenlea Radack found practicing the piano “relaxing”, as it gave her “something to do other than watching TV.” Meanwhile, Junior Hannah Bocian decided to teach himself the guitar. “ I just went online and looked up the chords. I like to play for my dogs, and then they get scared and run away.”

 Another popular and physically beneficial quarantine hobby is cycling, either for beginners or those who are taking it to the next level. Junior John Joire described how he embraced his new-found hobby. “I had just never learned how [to bike] and it seemed like something good to do with my extra time. Now it’s helped me see more friends because I can get places that were further away from my house.” 

On the other end of the spectrum, Sophomore Erin Kamm has upgraded her biking skills. “In late June I got a new road bike and that’s when I realized how into biking I was. Now I get to go on bike rides all the time.”

Aside from piano, Radack has also taken up her love for baking, as it is a good way to keep up social interaction while following safety guidelines for COVID. “I’ve been mainly baking chocolate chip cookies and brownies and delivering them to my friends.” In addition, gifting close friends and families hand-baked cookies is a gesture that for sure will brighten their days, especially during a time of much anxiety and worrisome.

Quarantine has also allowed more people to get back in touch with their artistic side. Picking up knitting, senior Mathilda Nilsson is proud of the progress she has made. “My friend taught me how to knit and now my scarf is almost as long as my arm span. [Knitting] gives me something to do and it makes me feel productive.” Likewise, Junior Olivia Gogarty is reteaching herself crocheting. “I learned it when I was younger from my grandma; it’s calming and relaxing during this stressful time.”

This pandemic has been hectic and tough on us all, but people are finding creative ways to fill their time, and so can you.