In the midst of online-classes and #stayhome, thousands of new social media trends have been popping up. From instagram bingos to dalgona coffee, people have found a host of new ways to keep themselves busy and entertained while homebound. We asked our UR peers about any new or regained hobbies they’ve picked up.
Rahul Edara (first-year): I never thought biking would be this interesting until I started. To be honest I did not have any option rather than biking to keep up with health and fitness. It relieves my stress to a great extent.
Kashish Dewnani (sophomore): I used to do origami as a kid. I find myself occasionally picking up a piece of paper and creating a swan or a crane.
Courtney Jung (first-year): I got back into watercoloring because manipulating how the color flows gives me a sense of control. I want to master how to use a certain medium, and it can only get better with time. Sometimes things don’t work out, but it’s okay because time is no longer a limited resource.
Ivette Sierra (first-year): Ever since I was a child it’s been a dream of mine to be a chef. 11-year-old me was watching Food Network all day and helping my mom in the kitchen like nobody’s business! So I’ve picked that up recently and I’m so happy that I did. Besides cooking, I forgot how it felt to actually relax. I live in New York City so I was used to always keeping busy and that carried through my time in UR. But I’ve been learning how to self care and journal and it feels so nice.
Jihane Jean (first-year): Well I don’t know if I would consider it a hobby but I’ve gone back to exercising again. My friend got me into it again and it’s helped me with my physical and mental health. It’s been easier to find time for it since there isn’t much to do outside of online classes and it’s been a great way to occupy myself.
Zachary Fung (first-year): One of the things that I’ve been revisiting since getting quarantined is actually piano. Currently, I study cello performance and I quit piano when I was 11. At Eastman we’re required to take a few semesters so I’ve had to start practicing again. But it wasn’t until I got back that I started messing around with it. I eventually found myself having fun with something I used to hate. Now I try to learn a few bars of a piece each day with no real aim. It’s nice to have something you’re working on that isn’t really meant to fulfill a certain goal. It gives you a different perspective on the things that you really do care about.
Haritha Ramalingam (first-year): I really enjoy taking pictures. I haven’t been able to do that during quarantine, so I am editing older photos. It’s a way for me to revitalize a hobby of mine.
These responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
