How College Students Have Spent Quarantine

Using hobbies as an escape

March of 2020 was when everything changed for us. For many, this experience has been something new. The pandemic has affected us so that most have not known how to cope or manage our feelings. The best way to deal with the difficulties faced in this pandemic has been through hobbies. College students have spent quarantine finding creative ways to get through these tough times. James C. Kaufman says, “the process of being creative does a whole bunch of really good things for us,” physically and mentally. It’s simply fun, which is what we need in our lives. Hobbies are an escape because we’re not thinking about any negative thoughts or fears or worries. Rather, we are focused on enjoying the moment. If you didn’t have any creative hobbies before quarantine, you should now!

Spending time on improving health

With the spreading of the coronavirus, many people have begun to take initiative and make changes. People have been taking their mental and physical health more seriously. Cooking has definitely been one of the top quarantine hobbies. If you didn’t enjoy cooking before, you sure have had to learn to like it during the pandemic. Every social media platform has been flooded with creative and delicious meals and desserts. Home cooking is not just a great way to stay safe, but it can be productive and fun. Fitness has also been one of the biggest pandemic pastimes. A lot of us have gained some quarantine pounds or have put off the gym for some time. With the extra time, everyone has at least started to be more active. Workout challenges, diets, weight loss, and self-care routines have been trending throughout the pandemic.

Students takeover Tik Tok

Tik Tok is the app that has taken over the entire world during the pandemic. This app has brought us smiles, laughs, and entertainment into our homes. Students have especially been a part of the app’s success. It is a place where you can be free and express yourself. You don’t have to be the best dancer, a certain size, shy or outgoing, you can just be free. This platform breaks all those barriers which is why it is the world’s favorite pandemic pastime. Yes, “it is important to feel that your time has value and purpose” but we tend to spend hours on TikTok. Although it can be productive, it can also be an escape. So many young people have gained stardom through this app. It’s as simple as showcasing your silly dance moves, comedy, relatability, and knowledge from the comfort of your room.

Benefits of hobbies during the quarantine 

As you engage in hobbies, “you’re building confidence, you’re making it part of your identity,” says Jeanine Parisi. These activities give “ you a sense of control and pride. That feeling of, ‘Wow! I did that!”. Kaufman says, “a good hobby is something that lives in the sweet spot of being not so easy that it’s not engaging, but not so challenging that you give up quickly. Engaging in a nice variety of activities is cognitively stimulating. It enables you to really “tap into the whole brain and body”.

The most popular ways college students have spent quarantine

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