There has been a whole lotta buzz on social media about how to fill your time while you’re stuck self isolating, and it had me thinking. I myself haven’t been doing much of anything, so I thought, hey, maybe I should test out a few of these so called “activities”. You know, as a service to my other bored peers. Always look for new ways to help out your community, kids. I shot my shot at seven fun and zangy ways to pass the time and rated each one on a scale of one to ten. A one being, “I am deeply disappointed and my day is ruined.” and a ten being, “Wow, I completely forgot that I’m not allowed to do anything!”. You won’t believe number five (cue smug buzzfeed editor smirk). 

#1. Baking

After breaking one of the knobs off our stove sophomore year during the great grilled cheese incident, my parents reduced my cooking privileges to only being allowed to use kitchen appliances under adult (or my younger brother’s) supervision. I have a pretty bad track record when it comes to preparing edible food,

seeing as though I’ve burned soup. But quarantine is a time for redemption, and that is exactly what I achieved when I mastered this muffin recipe. I’ve made these chocolate, peanut butter, banana muffins six times in the last five weeks. We never run out. My cooking journey has come full circle, from not knowing that you had to push in the stove knobs before turning it, to being able to make delicious baked goods. 10/10. 

#2. Reading

Have you noticed those ads on Instagram for an app called Webtoons? No? Just me? Well, regardless, I kept seeing advertisements for this webcomic called Lore Olympus, with their enticing captions and brightly colored design. I’m not proud to admit that they sucked me in. I downloaded the app and read all

one hundred and nine “episodes” of the comic in one night. It took three hours, but I couldn’t stop. It was that good. Lore Olympus is a modern retelling of the love story of greek god and goddess Hades and Persephone. The art and writing is beautiful and funny, and that means a lot coming from me. If you read Percy Jackson or watched Hercules as a kid, I guarantee you’ll love this story. 10/10. 

#3. Watching new shows. 

You had to know this one was coming. If you haven’t surrendered your soul to at least one new show during this quarantine, I don’t know if I should applaud or be afraid of you. I consider myself to be a top tier binger when it comes to Netflix, considering the fact that I watched eight seasons of The Walking Dead in three weeks. Should I brag about that? Probably not. My brother and I have been watching different

shows together while we’re stuck in quarantine, and so far the best one we’ve come across is Voltron: Legendary Defender. It’s an animated series set in a science fiction universe where planetary energy called “quintessence” can be used to power vehicles and magic. It follows the adventures of teenagers transported to space from Earth who must learn to work together to form the giant robot Voltron and defeat the evil Galra Empire. It has a similar vibe to Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and Young Justice. 10/10. 

#4. Listening to new music. 

I might’ve refused to give into social pressure and download Tik Tok, but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying some of the bops the app has made infamous. I had heard of Benee before her newer music got integrated into dancing videos, and listened to Monster close to when it first came out. I thought the song was relatively poetic in a darker sense, and got excited when I heard it over the speakers in a Kate Spade store. Since then, I’ve bought three more of her songs (yes, I still use the iTunes store, don’t @ me).

Glitter is definitely my favorite, but Supalonely and Soaked are still at the top of my playlist. Going wild in my car to Gus Dapperton’s solo in Supalonely is the best part of my infrequent rebellious drives. If you stan Billie Eilish I would recommend Benee as an artist. Even their names are in the same genre. 10/10. 

Monster- The monster takes me away

From my safe space into the night

Glitter- I know it’s getting late now, baby

Maybe you should stay here with me

Supalonely- I know I fricked up, I’m just a loser

Shouldn’t be with ya, guess I’m a quitter

Soaked- Soaked up in my brain

For another day

These things I’m tryna say get drenched and swept away that’s the truth

#5. Working out. 

God, even writing that has me cringing. In a day and age where working out is as common of an activity for highschoolers as procrastinating, I wish I found it more enjoyable. I try to spice up walking on the treadmill by blasting music or watching something on my phone, but nothing seems to completely appease my boredom. Although staying healthy is important, I would advise you to remember that not loving working out doesn’t make you lazy. Try to find a way to be active that engages your body and your mind. For me, I think I’ll stick to squats at midnight when I can’t sleep. 5/10. 

#6. Going outside. 

Ah yes, the great outdoors. As I mentioned in a previous article, I’ve been learning how to fly fish.

I’ve accompanied my dad on three trips to Neshannok Creek in Volant, and my cast has gotten better every time. I still haven’t caught any fish, but I blame that on the fifty other guys who slam the creek everyday.Not being able to go to work really draws out the fisherman (and fisherwoman) in folks. Even taking out the trash allows for a breath of fresh air. If you haven’t seen sunlight since school was cancelled, please, for the love of God, stick your head out a window and give your pale skin a break. 10/10. 

#7. Being creative. 

I’ve finally done it. I, a self-proclaimed writer, actually wrote something.

I pounced on a sudden sense of inspiration a few days ago and stayed up until four am getting it all down on paper. By the end of my crazed editing frenzy, I ended up with a fifteen page short story. I love each and every one of it’s four thousand four hundred and seventy two words and am happy to announce, I still got it. 10/10.

So, if you’re feeling hopelessly bored out of your mind while you’re stuck social distancing, take my word for it. You can always discover something new to entertain yourself with.