It has now officially been seven months since COVID-19 has caused a nationwide quarantine.
Throughout these past months, many individuals have begun to feel a downward slump due to the lack of productivity. However, these past months have yielded success for some people.
Many have taken this time off as an opportunity to do something they may not have thought to do: take up a hobby.
All across the country, a variety of different hobbies and activities have begun to start over this time. Things ranging from photography and baking to latch hooking and sewing have been the new pastimes for many.
Strangely enough, as more things begin to open up and as more people go “back to normal,” people are actually still wanting to keep these hobbies.
Along with the rest of the country, many OU students have also developed new hobbies since being sent home in March. Students ranging from graduating seniors to new freshmen have spoken of multiple different hobbies that have kept them sane during quarantine.
Jackson Ebel, a freshman studying journalism, spent quarantine developing a passion for photography.
“I formed this hobby because I’ve always been interested in media, but never had the time pre-COVID,” Ebel said. “Now, I’ll have a new skill and get to share it with other people.”
Also through these new hobbies, students have been able to learn and understand skills that will help them in their everyday lives. Mia Walsh, a freshman studying journalism, took up sewing to pass the time.
“I have made stuffed animals, scrunchies and I even made a button up shirt out of a sheet with sharks on it!” Walsh said in a message. “I’m very proud of myself.”
Some may have even found themselves having to pick up a new hobby due to the lack of productivity in order to stay sane.
“I was just always so busy,” Cristina Formichelli, a junior studying journalism, said, discussing her newfound love for latch hooking.
Not only are people finding these new hobbies to be more beneficial than they expected, but many of them have been quite successful with their hobbies.
“I started doing more photoshoots with some of my friends and then posted some on Instagram and people started to like them,” Ebel said.
When a hobby is done once, it’s relatively easy to keep getting better and to keep up with it. Time is also a big factor, seeing how everyone has so much more to do what they want now.
“I’ve enjoyed it so much, I think I’ll make most of the gifts for my friends and family this coming holiday season,” Walsh said in a message.
Many people also seem pretty keen on keeping these hobbies once quarantine is over.
“I think I’ll continue my interest in photography,” Ebel said. “I’ll probably keep it as a side job after I graduate.”
As people have more time on their hands, they find that these hobbies help them in many different ways. Even the simple way of just keeping them preoccupied.
“I formed this out of boredom truly,” Walsh said in a message. “I had the resources to do so and thought ‘why not?’”
