As COVID-19 cases spike all around the country, a second lockdown might send teens into another spiral of isolation. The various activities and hobbies that were discovered by John Adams High School Students to keep busy during quarantine are listed here, in a guide to an entertaining lockdown. 

Cole Evans, a junior, and Ty Dill, a sophomore said that they spent their quarantine gaming. Cole says “It is a perfect covid solution as you can spend time with friends without meeting in person. [If you want to begin gaming,] find an electronic device, whether it’s a console or even an iPhone, and explore any games it may have. I was given an Xbox for Christmas and began playing with my friends when I was younger. Because new games come out so frequently, I still play to this day,” explains Cole. Ty says “I’ve always enjoyed [gaming], so I had more time [to play] when COVID-19 hit.”

Another popular activity that is being enjoyed by students is scrolling through TikTok. Maggie Bramlett and Deireann O’Brien, both Sophomores who enjoyed spending their quarantine on the app. Maggie describes the app as “an app where you can watch or post short videos.” Deireann says that she “did dances and watched creators.” If you want to start creating or watching these videos, TikTok is available on all mobile app stores. Deireann suggests learning the popular  “Corvette” dance.

If you’re interested in meeting people from around the world, Alaa, a junior, suggests “having group chats with people from all over the world.” When asked how someone would go about finding international friends, she says “download an app such as Tik Tok or Yubo” which are both offered on mobile app stores.

Some students opted for a more active quarantine. Coen Coen, a sophomore, suggested doing sports and exercising. He got into sports because it has been a “lifelong activity” he has always enjoyed. Elisa Nerenberg, a sophomore, suggests going for a swim. She has been swimming her whole life and it helps to keep active.

An anonymous freshman said that they enjoyed listening to podcasts. They said, “[it helps to] have someone else’s voice to fill the space and make isolation less lonely.” If someone who had never listened to a podcast before wanted to try to find one, they should “find different celebrities or Youtubers that they enjoy on streaming services like Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or by simply looking up podcasts based on hobbies that they have, like a tv show. They could also find podcast episodes that have interviews with artists that they listen to.” When asked how they discovered this podcast, the freshman said,” I just saw Emma Chamberlain, a YouTube influencer,  promote her podcast on her YouTube channel so I decided I might as well give it a try. Now, I listen to it weekly.” 

Even if a second lockdown will never occur, it is important to keep safe during these unprecedented times. Although it may seem boring to stay home, there are many different ways to interact with people through social media and activities to keep occupied.