Sara Conroy, Editor
@sconroycourant
Olivia West, Editor
@oliviawcourant
1. Baking
One of the best ways to kick off quarantine, in my opinion, is to get in the kitchen and whip up some sweet treats. Sugary Brownies and cookies are so tempting, but in this time of quarantine, it’s especially important to stay healthy. Here is a healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe that is not only good for you but delicious. Another healthy good you can back is chocolate chip banana bread or yummy blueberry muffins.
2. Reading
Another right way to pass the time is to pick up a book and read something new and exciting. When asking around for some book recommendations, I was provided a list of some student’s current favorite reads.
– A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
– Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
– The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
– Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking
– Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
– A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
3. Netflix
A good way to pass the time is to curl up under the covers and watch a good netflix show. Here is a list of some popular Netflix shows that teens are really enjoying at the moment.
– Tiger King – a true crime story about “Joe Exotic,” a wildcat enthusiast who owned numerous tigers, lions and other large animals
– YOU – A story about Joe Goldberg, an obsessive yet brilliant New Yorker, who goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is enamored with.
– The Crown – This show traces the life of Queen Elizabeth II from her wedding in 1947, to Philip Mountbatten, until the early 21st century.
– All American – Inspired by the true life story of NFL Superbowl Champion, Spencer Paysinger, this show is an inspiring family drama about a high school football phenom, Spencer James and the two families whose homes he shares after transferring from Crenshaw to Beverly High
– On My Block – A coming-of-age story about four bright, street-savvy friends navigating their way through high school in the gritty inner city of South Central Los Angeles.
– Rewatch The Office
– Rewatch Grey’s Anatomy
4. Spa day
Quarantine is not ideal, but it can be used as a break from your hectic schedule. Take the time to relax and engage in some optimal self-care with a spa day. A spa day could start with my personal favorite, a nice bubble bath. As a bubble bath aficionado myself, my favorite bubble bath products are bath bombs. This bath bombs you will have the best bath fizzy of your life. Take bathing to a whole new level with gorgeous colors and intoxicating scents. You can find these products at lush or bath n body works, but with quarantine, it may be interesting to try to create a both using this recipe and many others you can find Another way to treat yourself is to make a homemade face mask and rejuvenate your skin. Here are some homemade face mask recipes that you can give a try.
5. Yoga
I’m sure you may have heard of yoga, but yoga is an exercise and meditation activity that you can do at home. This activity is not only relaxing and can help you mentally but is an incredible physical activity. With poses like the tree and downward dog, yoga can increase your flexibility and help you to improve muscle tone and can even help you to maintain a healthy weight. It is all an activity for your body and soul. Here’s a tutorial for beginners that can help you to get started on your yoga journey.
6. Cleaning
While cleaning might not seem like the most fun or entertaining way to spend your quarantine, it can be very relaxing, somewhat therapeutic, and will keep you clean and healthy, which is extra essential at this moment in time. So get out the vacuum and kleenex, put on some music you can dance to, and get to some spring cleaning.
7. Card Games
A fun interactive activity that you can do with your family is to play card games. Here is a list of 40 great card games that you can play with your family!
8. Listen to music and dance around the house
One way to have fun and keep yourself entertained and one of my personal favorites are to put on your favorite tunes and dance around the house.
9. Build a pillow fort
An excellent way to stay occupied is to make a pillow fort. This activity is not only a flash to the past, but it’s super fun to create and build a fort to your liking.
10. Look at the stars
An easy and fun way to see beautiful sights is to go out each night and to stargaze. Here’s an app that will help you to download that will help you to observe the stars and enrich your stargazing experience.
11. Learn a new language/instrument
Something fun and productive you could do to pass the time would be to learn a new language. Learning a language is a lifelong skill that will help you to communicate with people all around the world, especially if you enjoy travel and are planning on traveling to new and exciting places in the future. Here is an app that can help you to master a language of choice.
12. Knitting
While most teens probably don’t think of knitting as they’re the first choice when thinking of fun activities to keep them occupied, as said by a new york times article titled “The Health Benefits of Knitting,” “knitting and crocheting can lower heart rate and blood pressure and reduce harmful blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. But unlike meditation, craft activities result in tangible and often useful products that can enhance self-esteem.” De-stressing is super important, and this is a fantastic activity that can help you to do so. Here is a knitting tutorial that will teach you the ropes.
13. Make a fortune teller
Most people have had experience making a fortune teller back in elementary or middle school, but let’s bring it back! Making a fortune teller is super fun and can allow you to get a little crafty and experiment with your origami skills. If you are unsure, how to make a fortune teller, do not worry. Here’s a tutorial that will teach you tips and tricks.
14. Start a tik tok channel
A super popular app that has blown up recently and become trendy is tik tok. It’s an app that allows creators to post short videos. Whether that be dancing, acting, or comedy videos, this is a forum that will enable anyone to be creative and publish new and fun material. A fun way to spend quarantine would be to download tik tok and create your profile. Here’s a tik tok tutorial that will show you how to get started.
15. Sleep
If you’re bored, I’d recommend getting into some comfy clothes and catching some z’s.. You will wake up refreshed and more energized. Sleeping is great for your health, and with more free time, this is an excellent time to catch up on some lost sleep. But don’t sleep for too long. It is said the ideal energizing nap is from 10 to 20 minutes, so keep that in mind and make sure you are getting at least eight hours of sleep each night.
16. Listen to podcasts
Listening to podcasts is a phenomenal way to help you relieve stress and many people have reported that podcasts even helped them to fall asleep faster. Here are my top three favorite podcasts that are actually interesting and entertaining (for the full list and more detailed summaries, click here).
– My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark – Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark swap favorite tales of murder and heroism, as well as talk candidly about mental health and the importance of trusting your gut.
– Stuff You Should Know – Recent topics include Satanism, the Iowa caucuses, LSD, chaos theory, and more served up in a very entertaining way.
– Stuff You Missed in History Class – While you don’t need to be a history buff to get hooked on this podcast about little-known history, you might become one after a few episodes. This podcast focuses on weird events, overlooked stories, and underrepresented groups.
