How teens are staying busy indoors during COVID-19 pandemic
Being stuck indoors doesn’t stop students from working hard. Dance team captain, Alina Carcideo, practices her technique in her backyard due to limited space in her house. “Its hard to dance with the lack of space but im trying to dance wherever I can.” (Photo courtesy of Alina Carcido)
April 17, 2020
Ever since California Governor Newsom ordered that Californians stay indoors to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, people have been forced into finding ways to stay busy at home. Teenagers are now at home for 24 hours a day, and are filling their schedules with numerous activities to combat the inevitable boredom that comes with quarantine. So while this is a tough time, teenagers are attempting to make the best of it.
School work seems to be what is keeping many students busy since their teachers assign numerous assignments during the week and the break allows them to catch up on any missing work. Homework isn’t the only priority though. Sydney Acosta, a junior, states, “I’ve been keeping busy with Netflix and homework. I also still have a job right now so thats the only time I leave the house.”
The stay-at-home orders made it easier for families to spend more time together and students even found that social distancing allowed them to get back into old hobbies and even pick up new ones. When you think about it, now is the perfect time to learn something new or do that one activity you never got back to. Fabio Bernardino, a junior, explains how he “got back into running and practicing the guitar.”
Student athletes had to make major adjustments in their daily schedules due to no more practice or games. Cheyenne Hernandez, a sophomore involved in numerous extra circulars, shared that she had been “working out, working on softball and volleyball mechanics, spending time with family, and diving back into old hobbies.” Athletes had a schedule they would follow everyday where the time between school and practice was distributed evenly, but due to the circumstances some students don’t have space to practice or the resources.
While there are some down sides to being locked indoors, most teens recognize that this social distancing period is essential. Teens seem to have been successful in finding ways to keep themselves busy, active, and positive during the pandemic than others might have thought. Being stuck at home might feel like you’re trapped but it can also be seen as a self-exploring experience, and a time to discover new interests that you never knew you had.
