Wellness Wall: Quarantine Activities

By: Rubi Katz (Grade 10)

Bored sitting around at home all day? Here are 5 tech-free “to-do’s” to add to your list

To many of us 6 months ago, staying home from school was something we looked forward to and even dreamed of. Now, staying home has become a lot less fun than we had hoped and more of a chore than we all would have liked.  At the start of social distancing, everyone was excited for the many ideas of what we were going to accomplish during a two week quarantine , whether it be cleaning your desk that has turned into a dumping spot, completing a puzzle or spending lots of time outside, those hopes can only last for so long.  Now, everything you had wanted to get done has either happened or turned into a nice idea but not something you will ever actually do. Eventually we all end up on some sort of technology even after a full day on our computers.  Here are some fun tech-free “to do’s” to add to your list and help you stay away from tech: 

1. Cook or bake something you have never made before (go check out Jenna’s article for some ideas)

• Now that we are home all day everyday and we are surrounded by food it is easy to eat and eat.  Baking and cooking not only allows you to taste test along the way, after you have a creation that you can fully devoure 

2. Go on a walk to a friend’s house and wave to them from the sidewalk

• This is a great way to keep you social skills strong and make your friends smile

3. Sing your heart out 

• We have all had those moments in class where we just want to belt out our favorite songs, luckily in between classes it is just you and your house so go ahead and sing, sing, sing  (sidenote: try not to annoy your neighbours) 
• Want to take it to the next level? Get out a portable fan and sing into it. This is something everyone has done as a child but why not do it now? 

4. Write letters 

• Surprisingly writing letters is very fun and it is a great surprise for the recipient.  You can write to someone in Vancouver or across the world (keep in mind mail is moving a little slower these days so allow a few extra days for delivery) 

5. Turn trash into a treasure

• Find an item like a bottle and decorate it with some paint, glitter and string.  Now something that would have ended up in the trash has become a peice of art you can keep forever to remember this time 

It is really important during this time to maintain a schedule.  Simple tasks every morning like making your bed, getting out of your pyjamas and making a schedule are all important to create a sense of normality and productivity.  It may seem small but it can really influence how you are going to feel throughout the day.  Taking care of your body is also very important.  It may be easier to convince yourself that it is fine to stay up later because of the 9:00am start but maintaining a proper sleep schedule is essential to your body’s health.  Finally, stay connected with your friends, family and community.  A simple phone call to someone can make a big impact on theirs and your morality.  

For more wellness inspiration go check out @charliefhealth on instagram.  Wellness council has updated its website to have a Covid-19 section with lots of resourceful  links, videos and podcasts.  If you want even more ideas for what to do with your free time go follow @WPGAcouncils_stayhealthy on instagram to see what other students are up to.