I have been social distancing for two weeks now and just adapted to the slowed down pace of life. We are all incredibly lucky to have a roof over our heads and a place to call home during this chaotic time, but it is safe to say that all this extra time we’ve suddenly gained is quite discomforting. Even though online classes have started and jobs have gone remote, it still seems like we aren’t doing enough to fulfill our days. To combat boredom, I have picked up a few new hobbies, and I think you should try them out too.
- Yoga
-
One of my semester goals was to do yoga more often, but after my crazy schedule started to pick up, I stopped practicing. Now with all this down time at home, I am finally able to roll out my mat and relax for a nice 30 minute sequence again. My favorite yogi on Youtube is YogaWithAdriene; she has a super calming voice that has helped me step away from the constant covid-19 news.
- Learning a new language
-
Although I am Chinese, I can only speak Cantonese. I lost my ability to write in Chinese understand Mandarin at a young age, so I’ve always wanted to gain it back. I downloaded Duolingo and started doing daily lessons to familiarize myself with the characters and sounds again. The app is very user friendly and does not require a lot of effort; it’s not like a college language class, don’t worry.
- Baking
-
My parents are bakers, so I have an abundance of flour, eggs, vanilla, etc around the house. I took advantage of this and tried out a few different easy recipes. I’ve made strawberry bread and banana bread (which were amazing), and I’m looking forward to baking other desserts soon.
- Bullet Journaling
-
I’ve had a bullet journal for awhile now, but the amount of effort I put into it slowly started to slip after the semester started. Now, I have the time to make more detailed drawings in my journal and incorporate more colors as well. For April’s theme, I did a lot of line doodles inspired by graphics of people’s work spaces and homes. I also used some water color too. Bullet journaling is time consuming, but the outcome is totally worth it. Plus, looking at my journal everyday reminds me to stay productive even though I really just want to sleep and watch T.V. all day.
- Animal Crossing
-
Although I sadly don’t have a Switch, I’ve been playing Animal Crossing Pocket Camp and it has been so fun. The soundtrack and graphics are beautiful, and the game is so calming. I love fulfilling requests for my animal friends and crafting new furniture to add to my campsite. It’s the perfect game to play after a long day or simply just to kill time.