Students Explore New Hobbies During Stay-at-Home Orders

Last updated on Apr 19, 2020

By Chanel Lubsey, Staff Writer

During the current stay-at-home orders most of the country is spending their time indoors. Many students have found this time to be useful for discovering new hobbies or exploring further into current hobbies.

Beth Hillman, a junior nursing major, has devoted some of her time to learning new interests in addition to her current ones.

“Since I’ve had time to learn some guitar, I started learning some songs that I’ve loved singing and always wanted to add instrumental to, and now I’ve learned to do that,” she said. “I am continuing learning new songs; especially worship songs which I can connect with and find peace in.”

Hillman also said that this time has helped her further connect to what’s important to her.

“Another thing [social-distancing] has done is allowed me to connect more with my religion, which music has helped me do,” she said.

Some students have found that the time spent by themselves has led them into discovering more about themselves.

Michael Decristo, a senior photography major, said, “I’ve been spending a lot of time with myself, as everyone should, and as a photographer, [I] see it as a good time to delve into self portraits. It’s been a fun way to explore identity and self during this time of kind of forced inflection.”

Other students have utilized this time, to fine tune their already existing skills and passions, rather than learning a new hobby.

“I didn’t pick up any new interests, but the [stay-at-home order] has given me time to sharpen my drumming and guitar skills,” Lewis Eldridge, a senior film major, said. “I’m also a huge car enthusiast, so I have more time to watch car videos and learn more about specific cars.”