For some people, Covid-19 and the ensuing quarantine might have been an opportunity. When the schools were closed on March 14, 2020, students became dispirited because they couldn’t see their friends. But some of them decided to take all of that time to develop hobbies to stave off the inevitable depression.  

Winston Churchill once said, “To be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must be all real.”   

Middle school is a time of immense growth and transition. The school environment has a huge impact on the development of children at these ages. However, with the school closed and online classes, students did everything at home.

“I wanted a hobby because I was very depressed. I couldn’t concentrate because I was always at home and I couldn’t go outside and feel the fresh air,” said student Diana K. “Also, I am a very active person, and I like to hang out with friends, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I couldn’t go out. I became miserable, and I wanted to find a way to go back to my daily life,” said Diana.

Like Churchill’s words, in order to be safe and happy, students need a hobby to maintain their balance of life and to not get lazy. 

Diana found what she needed in music. “I listened to pop songs when I wanted to feel bright, and when I wanted to be calm, I listened to calm classical music. Music became a very important part of my life. Music also lets me concentrate while I was studying.” 

Learning an instrument can also be a fantastic way to spend time. With something as simple as a ukulele and the internet, you can spend hours developing a new talent. 

Eighth grader Emily K. started to draw for fun during the pandemic. When her friends told her she had some talent, she kept at it and eventually tried using a tablet to draw.  

“Then, I found that drawing on tablets is more fun and that eventually became a hobby,” said Emily.  

Art is a great hobby to express your creativity. If you get used to it, you can start to draw on a tablet, like an animator. However, if it’s expensive, you can just draw on paper. 

For students feeling cooped up due to COVID-19, finding a new way to exercise could be a great hobby idea. Exercising is very important and also helpful. The American Psychological Association reports that research shows exercising can help alleviate depression. It’s not necessary to be around a big crowd to get some exercise; a family room or backyard can do nicely. The internet is full of video instructions for everything from jumping rope to full-out aerobic workouts. Also, you might not think of yoga as exercise, but it definitely is, and it is easy to do on your own. Another benefit of yoga is that it helps calm and center you, making quarantining a little easier. It also increases flexibility. Yoga is a helpful hobby that costs little to nothing. If you want to get your peacefulness and patience, there is nothing better than doing yoga and meditation. 

Eighth grader Asmita V. said that her hobby was baking. She started baking three years ago. 

     “I think baking is helpful because the cakes they sell at the shops you never know what the ingredients are, and sometimes people add too much fat in the cakes. Therefore, the cakes made at home are healthier,” said Asmita.

  In addition to being healthier, buying your own ingredients is cheaper than buying food that is already made. Cooking and baking are helpful too. 

“Cooking and baking is both mental and physical therapy,” said writer Mary Berry, who has 60 years of baking experience and was a judge on the The Great British Baking Show.  

Games are a hobby for lots of people. Computer games are available if you have a computer or a laptop. These days, everyone has computers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with the increase of online classes, board games are much better than sitting on your chair and staring at the screen, and playing computer games. There are lots of benefits to playing board games. Playing board games brings people closer and strengthens relationships. Also, according to the Bucks County Free Library in Pennsylvania, board games increase brain function and teach how to set goals and become patient. Board games are better than sitting down and playing computer games.  

 The best solution to depression is cultivating a hobby, according to the article “The science behind why hobbies can improve our mental health.” An article Reported on the website The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization dedicated to unlocking the knowledge of experts for the public good, says that evidence shows that for those with clinical depression, a wide range of activities and hobbies can be helpful. However, there might be some students who haven’t found a hobby yet. 

“I want to have a hobby because I only studied at my home because I didn’t know how to spend my time,” said 8th grader Jason J. Jason said that his quarantine routine got old fast. “The daily pattern just went on and on, so I wanted to break that pattern and find something new. I thought having a hobby would be a great way to change my miserable daily life into something special.” 

There are many reasons that students might want to get a hobby but don’t know what hobby to get. According to the Life and Health Network, research indicates that any healthy pursuits that you enjoy are good for you, so choose based on the appeal and the kind of experience you have. 

Leaving our comfort zones is important, according to the travel magazine Wanderlust. “Trying new things not only helps us to vanquish fears, but it also allows us to expand our minds and learn both about new things, and about ourselves,” the article “When was the last time you tried something new?” proclaims. 

As quarantines fade and we slowly get back to our daily lives, this is the opportunity to find a hobby to ease the transition and make our lives more fulfilling.