A plate of freshly baked cookies lay on the counter next to seven other craft projects, face masks scattered around the room, and another Netflix episode streaming: a typical day in quarantine.

For the past six months, quarantine has become a new lifestyle. Meanwhile, Mid-Pacific students have started their own hobbies while staying safe.

“At home, you’re surrounded by the same things every day, so to just try and get out of the comfort zone and try something new felt nice and was really cool,” said sophomore Alaina Visi.

During quarantine, Visi said she headed to the beach more often to surf and made miniature clay sculptures that resemble mochi with small faces on them.

“If it catches your eye, I think that’s something for you,” said Ceramics teacher Daven Hee.

He stated sometimes a hobby can catch your eye through color and the feeling of something in your hand, or because a family member or friend has pursued the activity.

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Image of a miniature pancake clay sculpture made by Alaina Visi during quarantine. Photo by Sophomore Alaina Visi

According to a recent survey hosted by Nerd Bear, out of 750 Americans, watching movies or TV was the most popular quarantine hobby while learning a new instrument was the least common.

Home workouts are five times more popular than last year, and half of people report reading to pass the time during quarantine.

“You’re by yourself for so much of the time, it’s good to be able to occupy your mind and make your insides feel good when you’re working on something for yourself,” said Hee.

Hee said he has sketched and doodled during quarantine to pass the time and learning more about ideas he’d like to incorporate into his ceramic class curriculum.

Some students found their summer plans disrupted during quarantine.

“It kind of took away the whole summer. I was planning to go on college trips because I’m going to be a junior now, and it was my prime time to look at colleges, and then hang out with friends,” said sophomore Aaliyah Jefferson.

Jefferson said she began knitting, crocheting, and needle pointing after becoming close to her grandparents through quarantine and learning her great-grandmother was a fan of the craft.

Jefferson crocheted a hat for her grandmother, and needle pointed the image of a cat next to flowers for her mother.

Senior Hitomi Kidahashi said she’s started writing music and doing yoga.

Kidahashi collaborated with her friend in California through Zoom and phone calls to write the song labelled as “Happy” which is still a work in progress. She hopes to continue to write music despite the tight schedule from school.

“During quarantine I watched videos, movies and TikToks that inspired me to write this song,” Kidahashi said.

Before quarantine it was very difficult to include personal interests in her schedule since she was busy with school and activities, said Kidahashi.

“In general I feel like quarantine has two sides, one being not able to go out of our house and having to stare at a screen all day,” Kidahashi said. “The other side is being able to have more time which is special and unique because we can seek more about ourselves as an individual person.”