Quarantine has no shame making an appearance in everyone’s lives here in America. Many Americans and others around the world have dealt with the struggle of making this our "new norm."
Quarantine has given individuals more than enough time to do anything and everything they can imagine. In some ways, quarantine has provided us with a little too much time on our hands. But many have used the loaded vault of time to their advantage.
Valeria Galarza-Contrerez, sr., says she has been improving her artistic skills and catching up on countless Netflix hits.
“Something else I had to do every day was learning how to cook for not only myself, but for my family,” Galarza-Contrerez said.
Not only did her quarantine consist of leisure, but it was also educational in learning crucial life skills.
Quarantine could be seen as a blessing is disguise. It has given us the time to achieve personal goals, catch up on various shows and books, and has even given us the time to educate ourselves on various matters.
Many families and individuals have taken the initiative to go outdoors and interact with nature through nature walks, bike rides, road trips, and even picking up new hobbies such as gardening. Getting fresh air and clearing the mind has been very important in keeping a healthy mental state, especially during these difficult times.
On the flip side, there have been countless activities to do indoors as well that have occupied the minds of many. Puzzles were trending at the start of quarantine and were wiped off the shelves of every local supermarket. Other activities the community have been actively participating in are painting and reading.
However, staying inside hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows for everyone. Alan Leal, sr., expressed that the new adjustment to isolation impacted him negatively.
“I wasn’t able to go out much and I ended up becoming really lazy,” Leal said.
In retrospect, Leal found a way to occupy himself by playing more video games, which in general have seemingly made one of the biggest impacts on the way people have been spending their quarantine.
In addition, a large group of people have started to pick up fitness and “glow up” during quarantine. One of the most well-known challenges or trends in the fitness realm was the Chloe Ting Two-Week Shred Challenge. It has pushed many to their limits and resulted in them feeling stronger and better than ever about themselves.
Simple habits such as working out have become very popular over these past six months and have tremendously impacted those who have taken the initiative and have the motivation.
After taking in the various viewpoints of quarantine, we can all relate to one another in some way. It has pushed us to work and challenge ourselves, as well as given us time to destress and detach from being a teenager and discover a little more about ourselves.