When schools first closed in March, students were left with an unusual amount of time on their hands. From seven hour school days to five months away from the classroom, students were presented with what seemed like infinite time. While many developed a serious relationship with Netflix and sleep, some saw these unprecedented circumstances as a chance to immerse themselves into new hobbies. 

Over quarantine, new activities have made their way into the lives of students. Sophomore Chelsea Faller wanted to see if her family’s artistic abilities had passed on to  her, leading her to experiment with different artistic techniques and mediums. School now presents the challenge of time-management, something unheard of during the five month hiatus. This poses a threat to longstanding projects, making it more difficult to continue practicing this skill .

“Since quarantine, I started getting into art,” Faller said. “My dad used to, so I wanted to see if I was any good. Art is time-consuming, so you need patience, which can be hard. If I have time I would like to continue this skill.”

Art comes in many forms; while some pursue it with a pen or paintbrush, others create art through music. Sophomore Justin Moore began learning the guitar as well as the ukulele over quarantine. He quickly learned the hardships of picking up new instruments and struggles specific to the string instrument family. 

“I try to practice everyday but it’s mostly every-other day,” Moore said. “The most challenging thing is switching chords. I would say that if you’re just starting out, try to learn a song that you know first. The most helpful things are guitar apps and chord charts.”

Among the many forms of self expression, Junior Isaac Abdelmessih saw quarantine as an opportunity to pursue the art of cooking. He has gained a new skill set needed to be successful in the kitchen, along with the challenges that come with executing traditional Middle Eastern dishes. Abdelmessih is carrying on family tradition through his Middle Eastern dishes, and is sharing his creations with the people that introduced it to him first.

“My grandmother is from Lebanon, she started to give me some of her recipes,” Abdelmessih said. “It’s not only about the quality, but how much time and love you put into cooking that meal. That makes your dish presentable and people want to come back to you for more.”