During quarantine, everyone found ways to fill the endless hours. From art to sports, ETHS students searched high and low for fulfilling hobbies. However, as life is returning to normalcy, students are struggling to find time to fit those quarantine hobbies into day-to-day life during the in-person school year. 

Senior Ali Wolf has always had an interest in art and design. When quarantine began to allow her more free time, she found herself putting more effort into this hobby. 

“My favorite quarantine hobby was drawing and painting. I drew and painted before, but I got more into it, and I got better at it,” Wolf says. “I started painting on my walls and in my sketchbook a lot more. It has really helped with my anxiety to calm me down.”

Wolf has not only found a hobby that’s therapeutic, but also an activity that paves the way for her future career goals.

 “I would do my own [artwork] outside of my graphic design class, so that really motivated me and helped me find a career path,” Wolf says. “Now I know I really want to go into graphic design.”

While some people found creative outlets, others found physical activity as a way to pass time. Through quarantine, senior Matt Cless felt that being active was necessary for him. After quitting the basketball team at the beginning of the COVID lockdown, he discovered track. Now, Cless is finding ways to continue his journey even through the school year. 

“I had a lot of success [in high jump] my first year, and I was winning a lot,” he says. “I got third in State, which is pretty unheard of for someone that just started something for the first time, and I really want to win this year.” 

Cless exemplifies a COVID-19 hobby success story. Despite his relatively recent interest in the sport, he is now receiving multiple Division I offers. As Cless wants track to be in his future, he continues to find time to continue practicing. 

“Obviously, we have a lot less time than before, but I am still able to make time for myself. I am going to start the fall track workouts that are starting soon and lifting every day. I just try and find time here and there to continue to get better,” says Cless. 

Additionally, another hobby that students found engaging was reading. Through the countless, tiresome days, sophomore Cecily Jordan used reading as a way to keep herself busy and entertained.

“It really gives me a sense of just being swept away into another world. A lot was going on during quarantine, and it was really scary,” says Jordan. “I think that being whisked away into another world and getting really engrossed into the storylines and characters was really great.”

While some students are continuing their hobbies and have found time to fit them into their schedules, other students have left these activities as memories of the pandemic. Junior Sam Darer decided to stop running after not finding the time. 

“During the school year, I think it will be really tough, especially with the weather and everything with it getting colder, but I think during the summer I will be able to find time,” he says.  

Although some students continued their favorite quarantine activities and others did not, they all share a mutual passion for their respective hobbies.

“I think having a hobby is really important,” says Wolf. “It is super fun and can also be a way to distract yourself from real life.”