Quarantine during COVID-19 has forced many to forgo their public outings and instead spend their days at home. However, students as well as adults have been using their resources to find new and fun trends, habits, and hobbies–turning this wearisome time into a new adventure. 

Not only are friends and family being affected but celebrities are too. Antoni Porowski, from the Netflix show “Queer Eye,” has started his own Instagram cooking show where he uses ingredients that can be found in common households to make dishes.

Cooking is a hobby–or a passion–that takes time to perfect, like any other activity of interest. But with all the different meals, outcomes, and recipes, this quarantine gave people plenty of time to explore and open up their regions of cooking. 

“This quarantine has benefited my skills in the kitchen,” said sophomore Isabella Smith. “It has provided me with a large amount of free time in order to improve my cooking and also learn new recipes. Quarantine has definitely provided me with the chance to better my work in the kitchen as well as explore many different styles of cooking.”

More specifically, baking bread blew up on social media. Trying out new recipes to develop tastes without having to go to restaurants, or kneading dough out of boredom and frustration, proved to develop into a bread frenzy online. Beginning with sourdough and developing further, anxious shoppers bought out bread on shelves before it could run out, and so many bread bakers bought enough yeast to cause yeast shortages in grocery stores. Overall, bread baking provides a connection to family roots, serves as an outlet for emotions, and is generally relaxing; it is no surprise this trend made its way to social media. 

Additionally, Tik Tok, a favorite social media platform among students, has been giving rise to new trends that are simple and safe to participate in. One of these trends, whipped coffee, became popular during the beginning of quarantine. Using the simple ingredients of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water, a mixture is created to turn the ordinary drink into a fluffy concoction to enjoy on top of milk. Along with this new coffee extravaganza, TikTok users and watchers have baked bread and turned it into different animals, from frogs to hedgehogs!

With 2020 being anything but ordinary, it makes sense for students to be attracted to this new treat. The simplicity of creating this “new coffee” allows people to stray away from the monotonous quarantine lifestyle and spice up their favorite drink. 

Although the Coronavirus has interrupted in-person gatherings, people are still finding creative ways to safely social distance themselves while celebrating milestones. The prevalence of drive-by celebrations, like graduation congratulations and birthday parades, have been organized by friends and family to celebrate special people in one’s life. While the traditional gathering may not compare to a socially-distanced one, the sentiments undoubtedly still remain the same. 

Quarantine has also given students the opportunity to delve into new hobbies and passions. Focusing on artistic endeavors has been vital to some to keep sane during isolation. Whether it be completing paint-by-number art, bleaching and coloring jeans for a new style (as seen on Tik Tok and other social media platforms), drawing, or learning calligraphy, many have tried their hand at learning new skills to upkeep new hobbies in the future. 

Among Us, a video game where players join a server together and try to find the “imposter” among a group of alien-like characters, has existed since June 15, 2018. However, with the growing need for social connection, Among Us became increasingly popular in early September. With basic controls, a simple layout, and an enjoyable premise, ‘Among Us’ has proved to be a growing favorite “among” youth, with social media videos, Twitch streams, and infamous memes being created to commemorate victories. 

Of course, it is important to stay safe during this pandemic. Wearing masks, social distancing, and keeping clean are all important to protect yourself and others. As a result, people have begun to create their own hand sanitizers and have made their own masks to utilize. Many have created donation drives for these materials, and some have even started their own business to make some extra cash during the pandemic. Advertisements on Snapchat, Instagram, and Tik Tok have spread the word about cool designs, donation locations, and prices for these products, greatly contributing to health and safety while allowing people to get creative and give back to the community. 

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused great challenges for many around the world. Isolation, anxieties surrounding health and safety, and uncertainties surrounding the future can take a toll on the mind. However, developing new hobbies, skills, and participating in new trends allow people to relax and feel less alone during this time.