Maya Hurst ‘21, Junior Editor

“I’m BooorRReedDD” my eight-year-old sister, Aria, says every twenty minutes. During these unprecedented times, I’m sure we’ve all had a point where we wanted to scream this on the top of our lungs. Despite all the SAT material I haven’t studied and the homework I haven’t done, I’m positive that I have. Below, I’ve listed a few fun and unique quarantine activities that you can all try out. 

If you need some self-care:

1. Take a bath!! Light some candles, read a book, watch some Netflix. You can even make some homemade bath bombs with these steps: (Recipe from Wellness Mama) 

•  Ingredients → 
  • 1 cup of baking soda
  • ½ cup of citric acid
  • ¾ cup of corn starch
  • ½ salt (table salt or Epsom salt)
  • 2 tbsp oil (coconut oil, olive oil, or get fancy with argan oil!)
  • 3 tsp water (or 2 tsp water, 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 30/40 drops of your favorite essential oils!
  • You can also add dried herbs or skin-safe coloring to add some spice to your bath bombs!
• First, mix your oil and essential oils of choice together with the cup of baking soda
• Next, add your dry ingredients 
• Add your water into the mixture (very slowly!!), and mix well using your hands
• Add some water if the consistency isn’t right – it should be able to hold together when you squeeze it
• Place the mixture into a mold of your choice (muffin/cupcake tins work!!), and leave for 24-48 hours. Remove your bath bombs and place them in a Ziploc or other air-tight container. 

2. Do some journaling or doodling. Write about what it’s like to be in quarantine, or how you’ve been feeling lately. 

3. Make some homemade face masks!

• Face masks
  • Egg face mask
    • Helps with acne
    • Use a whisk to whisk an egg white until it is foamy, then apply to your face
    • (Credit to Sofia Giannuzzi)
  • Oat and milk face mask
    • Helps to exfoliate and calm skin
    • Mix one tablespoon of oats with 2 tablespoons of milk. Add ¼ tsp cinnamon if you’re a cinnamon kinda gal. 
    • (Credit to Sio Beauty)
  • Yogurt, honey, and oatmeal facemask
    • Helps to calm and clear skin
    • Cook your plain oatmeal
      • Mix together ½ cup boiling water with ⅓ cup cooked oatmeal and stir. Let the mixture sit for two minutes
    • Mix together 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 2 tbsp honey, and one egg white until they are one cohesive mixture
    • Mix oatmeal and yogurt mixtures together and apply!
    • (Credit to Sio Beauty)
  • Honey turmeric mask
    • Helps with hyperpigmentation
    • Mix ½ tsp of turmeric with 1-2 tsp of raw honey and apply
    • (Credit to Healthline)

4. Made a body or face scrub!

• Body scrub
  • Combine 2 parts brown sugar with 1 part oil (any kind)
  • Add your favorite essential oil or oils for calming scents!
• Facial scrub
  • Combine 2 parts white sugar with 1 part oil of your choice
  • Again, feel free to add essential oil/oils of your choice!

5. Give yourself a facial massage! This helps to promote blood flow and is super relaxing. 

• Look up “facial massage techniques” on YouTube, then grab your favorite facial oil (this can be a fancy one or coconut or olive oil – totally up to you) and get massaging!

If you need to get up and moving…

1. Try a workout video on YouTube. I’d personally recommend Alexis Ren’s ab and glute workouts, but keep in mind that I literally never workout ever. So… 
2. Get up between every class and try to either go downstairs or upstairs, do some squats by your chair, or even open up a window for some fresh air. 
3. Play with a pet or sibling!
4. Devote the 30 minutes right after school to getting out of your chair/room and doing something that doesn’t involve sitting down. 

If you need to release some creative energy…

1. Write a poem or short story
2. Paint a watercolor painting
3. Make a collage (I’ve been making one with headlines from the COVID-19 coverage)
4. Redecorate your room, or give it a total makeover
5. Try a new hobby: baking, cooking, dancing, painting, drawing, singing, piano – whatever you feel like doing!!
6. Cut or dye your hair. Seriously. I’m not allowed, but if you are, all the power to you, girlie. The time is now. 
7. Bake a new recipe

If you’re looking for some self-improvement techniques (and trust me, it’s totally fine if you’re relaxing during this time. Seriously.):

1. Read something every day. Whether this is the news, a book, a textbook, etc., I guarantee you’ll get something out of it. 
2. Meditate. You can use apps like Calm or Headspace, or look guided meditations up on the internet. 
3. If meditation isn’t exciting enough for you, try some yoga. Again, YouTube is a great place for this.
4. Go for walks alone or with your family. Although parks are currently closed, neighborhoods are still a great place to get a little nature. 
5. Spend time talking with your parents or siblings. They’ll appreciate it. 
6. Try to work out if you normally don’t, and see what works for you. 
7. Try to stay healthy: take your vitamins, drink some tea, try new healthy recipes
8. Learn something new: a new language, how to knit, etc.
9. Reach out to people who you haven’t talked to in a while.

I hope that everyone finds something on this list that will better them or keep them entertained in some way! Stay safe and healthy out there, and stay at home!!!