Hi All,
I hope you are doing okay and staying healthy during this difficult time.
As we are limited to what we can do in our free time now, I thought it would be fun to share a list of quarantine hobbies/activities that I hope to pick up or brush up on. For the past two years of living and working in NYC, it has been always go, go, go. And prior to that while getting my masters degree and finishing undergrad in three years it was also very fast pace and not a lot of down time. I often found myself saying, if only I had spare time to learn x y z, or if only I had more free time then I would have time to read more and the list goes on and on. Now is the chance!
In a way this is silver lining to have that extra time to pick up a new skill or brush up on an old one. And trust me, I understand this is a blessing and that there are doctors, nurses, grocery stores employees etc who are working on the front lines right now and don't have this luxury of extra free time (thank you to all of you and your families for being our heroes!!).
1. Cook/bake more. This especially applies to time-consuming recipes. For example, my friend came up with a term called "investment baking" which could apply for something like sourdough starter. In my usual routine, I often stick to the tried and true recipes that I am familiar with but having this extra time leaves no excuse not to try a cool, new recipe! Some of the things I have already made : salmon, zucchini boats filled with artichoke dip, cheesecake(s), Russian apple cake, and eclairs. In the future, when I need to make one of these things, I will be more comfortable and familiar with the recipes.
2. Painting. Trust me I am no Picasso and this might turn into a failed project but my roommate in college used to create beautiful watercolor pieces and occasionally I used to try and made some, too. This is something I miss doing and want to give it a shot again! One of my friends had an idea of finding decor paintings on Pinterest and trying to recreate them. Here are a couple of the pictures I have been looking at: option one and option two.
3. Exercise more! This was always an easy one to brush off the to-do list. I used to get home late from work and now being at home there is no excuse not to fit in a workout here and there. I also used to play tennis growing up all through middle school and high school so I hope to brush up on my game. I have been loving at home workouts through the BBG (Beach Body Guide) app! But there are free options such as following @madfit.ig on instagram and doing her at home workouts. Or doing a 14-day trial with The Sculpt Society by Megan Roup. Or doing @brightonkeller 's workouts on Instagram!
4. Crafting. I thought it would be fun to find a spring related craft on Pinterest and attempt to create it. Also a way to brighten up your home while in quarantine :) Here are a couple things that I want to make: option one and option two.
5. Learn/ re-learn a foreign language. This could be a great opportunity to refresh our knowledge of a foreign language that we spent years of studying in middle and high school but have not used since graduation. This can happen by forcing ourselves to read a book in that language, using an online course, or even rewatching our favorite show that we have seen a million times in English but now in a different language. Maybe I will review my French by binge watching Friends episodes in French or with French subtitles!
6. Piano/ singing. Music used to be such a big part of my life growing up but I have stopped playing piano, guitar, and singing. In the last two weeks I have been trying to play on the piano more often. Let me know if you would like to hear Let It Go ;)
7. Reading. I don't know about you, but I feel like I have an ongoing list of books that I want to read that just keeps growing. Now is the time to catch up on that list and dive into some books. Have always wanted to join/start a book club? This is your chance to do it virtually :)
8. Deep Spring cleaning. This refers to an ultimate Spring Cleaning. And I am not just talking about your weekly cleaning routine. I am referring to cleaning areas of your home that you have never thought about. Like the top of your cabinets that are hard to reach or deep cleaning your washing and drying machine. Reorganizing every all the drawers and purging things that don't "spark joy".
9. Learn how to dance. I have been wanting to improve my swing and salsa dancing skills. Now is the time for this! There are many YouTube tutorials that you and your quarantine buddies can go through. If that isn't enough there are local dance studios that are trying to survive in this crazy climate and you can help by doing virtual dance lessons through those studios.
10. Curate playlists. I never have time to go through all my Spotify liked songs to organize them into different playlists. With some extra time on your hands, you can now go in and curate them to your liking for various occasions.
11. Make a dream board! This is a fun activity that can fall into crafting category. It is a creative exercise for either making a 5-year plan or for a longer term like what you want to accomplish. Reasons for making one? This can serve as a creative outlet and inspirational daily reminder that hangs in your room for whenever you get discouraged or unmotivated in life.
12. Gardening. My mom and I are excited to plant a small garden together. We have started with tomatoes, peppers, and some herbs. If you don't have a back yard you can still do some indoor gardening! Follow my instagram stories for weekly gardening updates :)
13. Jewelry Making. Have you been collecting shells on every beach trip that you have taken and now they are just sitting in the back of your drawer? This is the time to try and put them to good use and create a necklace or bracelet out of it. There are also kits you can order online if you are not into shell jewelry haha! Of course this is a cheesy idea but could be fun to express your creativity and send a friendship bracelet to your friends! I am sure it would brighten their day :)
14. Planning trips. If traveling is one of your passions and you haven't been able to physically go on trips, you can start planning your trips as a way to feed this passion! Of course, there are a lot of unknowns such as when it will be okay to travel again but with airline companies being lenient on cancelations and rescheduling of the trips it won't hurt to plan something and look forward to it! Danny and I have been planning a trip to Australia which has been fun to research all the different things to do there and get excited for this adventure. Another great way to "virtually travel" is to explore "Around the World" folder on Larisa Crockett Photography. You will feel like you truly visited the countries all over the world :)
Thank you for reading!!