Lifestyle | April 5th, 2020

Five Ways To Stay Occupied During COVID-19

By: Vincent Jones

Amidst these times of uncertainty and distress, it is important to take the necessary precautions to keep not only ourselves but the people around us safe. Many students, not only on the campus of Florida A&M University but around the nation have transitioned into remote learning and have been advised to limit human interaction outside of their family and essential needs. Although people will deal with this differently, it is imperative to remain active both mentally and physically. 

With this newfound free time, here are a couple of ways to stay occupied during COVID-19.

Find Time To Exercise

Exercise is essential to one’s health, no matter the circumstance, with a little bit more leisure time than usual, now is the perfect time to get that summer body that you have been wanting since freshman year. It can be as simple as going outside for a walk or doing calisthenics inside the comfort of your home. 

Third-year student Jamal Carty says that he has taken the time to focus on his classwork and find time to de-stress with exercise in the process.

“Now that I have more time, I can tackle my studies more effectively,” Carty said. “I have been able to do a lot of cardio inside my house and it helps me keep my mind off of things.”

Binge-watch a Series Or Movie

During the school year, it may be hard to catch up on your favorite TV show or series because of the overflow of schoolwork or outside activities that plague your everyday schedule. There couldn’t be a more perfect time to kick back, relax, and turn on that show that you haven’t seen since homecoming week.

Pick Up a New Hobby

It is easy to become restless and agitated due to the mundane nature of staying inside for most of the day. On the bright side, there is a bevy of new things that you can do or try.

Try documenting your everyday life through video, write a journal, or maybe even read a book. The opportunities are endless contrary to popular belief. It is a matter of what you will do to seize it. 

Third-year student Misty Volny says that if she didn’t start something new she would feel unproductive. 

“Before quarantine, I was always busy so being in the house doing nothing just wasn’t going to cut it for me,” Volny said. “Working out and reading are some of the things I have been able to and I feel as if it is important to keep the progress on things you’ve been working on or make new progress.”

Get Your Chef On

A lot of students don’t get the opportunity to eat the tasty foods that they grew up on or are tired from eating the same meal from top cafe. Why not get in the kitchen and add some spice to your life? Cooking can be very time consuming, but the end result might keep you entertained for the duration of this quarantine. 

Quality Time With Your Family

As students, being away from home and enjoying our personal space has been our normality and nobody expected to be home for this long following spring break. As crazy as it sounds, everything happens for a reason so for those who went home take advantage of it. Our parents and guardians love having us home despite how it may seem sometimes. 

Second-year student Mariah Wiggs says that she has been able to spend legit time with her family and it has genuinely made her happy.

“I initially came home because I was sick and my family has definitely helped me get through this difficult time,” Wiggs said. “I have had time to reflect and it has shown me that life is short and I can say that I needed this pause.”