Quarantine has not been easy for everyone, especially teenagers who usually spent most of their day at school. Many students have had a hard time adapting to new changes and they have been adapting by picking up a new hobby or continuing an old one that they didn’t have time to do in the past. 

For example, one of the biggest problems I face staying home is that I get bored easily. One thing I have done is spending more time with my cousin. My cousin has enjoyed painting and drawing since she was young and has influenced me to start painting. 

She has painted me as a fictional character and as her personal favorite as a Bratz doll. With her guidance and passion, she has helped me with the basic drawings, along with encouraging me to feel comfortable with drawing my imagination. 

I’m not as talented as her, so my drawings and paintings are a little more basic, but I enjoy painting galaxy art and cartoon figures. When I discovered painting, I didn’t have the right supplies to paint, so my oldest sister took me to get some. I got paint, brushes, and some canvases to paint as much as I wanted. Since I got my supplies I have been painting on a daily basis. I love showing my cousin my art and getting feedback on it.

As much as I enjoy painting, I needed to get out of the house, so I also started going on bike rides. For my 16th birthday, my oldest sister gave me a new one, so I started riding it every once in a while to get used to it. I first started riding close to my house and eventually encouraged myself to go farther. Bike riding helps me fresh up my mind and it helps me forget any other responsibilities I have at that time. It’s also a good and fun way to exercise and stay active. 

Like everyone else, quarantine has impacted my life, but adapting new and old hobbies back into my life has helped me from going crazy. Painting has helped me improve my artistic skills and bike riding has helped me stay active and be in better shape and it’s easier than running.