One snapshot of daily quarantine life from each grade
By Daniel Berk II
Quarantine can be a tough time. The days feel long, there are no friends to see, and there are few new experiences. If you are running out of things to do while social distancing or just want to hear someone else’s take on life as a quaranTEEN, look no further! Members of each class at RL have answered these three questions:
- How do you spend your days?
- How do you feel about the virus?
- What are some recommendations for things to do?
Watch these video snippets from their quarantines!
Class VI-Brendan Reichard: I try to exercise every day to stay active with no sports or commute. I spend lots of time with my family (not always willingly). We do board games, puzzles, movies, hikes, bikes, and sometimes we do a 3v3 basketball game. With all my free time, I can get to things I usually don’t do, like practicing my trumpet.
Also, my family dressed up for Easter Sunday and we used our fine china. My two brothers and I wore all green for St. Patrick’s day (Tommy was decked out in all green). We participate in this thing where we put a teddy bear in the window so when parents want to go for a walk with little kids they can look for teddy bears in windows throughout the neighborhood (to make going for a walk fun).
Class V-Theo Coben: For the first few weeks of quarantine when school wasn’t in session, I had a normal routine relative to most of my peers. I would wake up probably around two or three in the afternoon, scrounge up “breakfast” and sprawl out on the couch. I think I knocked out five or so Netflix shows within that time.
I’ve learned the hard way that nothing is more motivating than shame in your own self-indulgence.
My phone took up a great majority of my entertainment on top of that. One time I checked my screen time and saw that I spent 27 hours just that week on TikTok. I felt morally sick after that, and never checked screen time ever again. The weather was still pretty cold and rainy, so sometimes in cloudy stretches of the forecast I wouldn’t even see the sun for a good few days. I then tried to get outside more, not even because it actually is my favorite thing to do, but because I felt such great guilt in my choices.
I’ve learned the hard way that nothing is more motivating than shame in your own self-indulgence. So I’ve been trying over the last few weeks to establish a healthier daily routine with more structure and activities. My pre-quarantine outdoor go-to’s were throwing the baseball around and taking my dog around the block, which I do more often now, but recently I’ve tried some new things that I like to do. I picked up how to longboard (shoutout to Keaton Sahin II), and going out and practicing was an almost meditative exercise that also allowed me to observe my neighborhood in greater depth. There are places near me hidden in plain sight that I’d really never noticed before, like some mills and factories just down the street from me (peep the vid).
I feel in general that the virus is the new norm, it doesn’t affect me any more or less than the day before. It’s just kind of there. Obviously those that are sick and dying and on the frontlines certainly are devastated, but thinking about how depressing the situation is won’t get me far. I already know that within the next day thousands of people will die, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. But there’s nothing I can really control except for my own actions. I’ve stopped watching the news for that reason. It is very important in the grand scheme of things to take in everything around me, but I’m wasting my energy obsessing over the outcomes that I already know are inevitable. History books might mark this down in the future as the defining chaos of our generation, yet I’d never expect myself to be more okay with that.
I demand everybody get up. You need to go outside. I think I speak for all of you that, like me, you probably spent at least a good two weeks on your phone. I don’t intend to become the mom that tears the covers off your bed on a Saturday morning telling you to do something with your life, but now I see the wisdom in it. “Get up and go outside” does sound particularly annoying when it’s coming at a morning hour most would call early that you now call late, but at least do it to make your mom happy if not for yourself.
Eventually the rhythm of it will make you feel “okayisher,” and soon enough you’re dragging mom away from the “Love is Blind” finale to remind her Gwyneth Paltrow’s virtual Zumba class starts in a few minutes. Maybe those habits will stick around after this all ends. Another pro tip: get off Snapchat. If you’re going to actually try to be social through social media, I suggest you don’t waste your time on an app where the majority of all communication is a black screen with the letter S drawn hastily in red. Un-add the 20 girls to whom you owe dates post-rona and hop on the Discord server with the boys, please.
Class IV-Adam Kuechler: I start my days usually around 7:15, get dressed and, if I’m feeling really good and the weather is just right, I go on a morning run. On these days, after my run, I’ll get some frosted flakes and eat them in the best and only way: out of a cup like a drink, and then run to class. On the days when I don’t run in the morning, I’ll have a nice breakfast and commute to my computer to get ready for school. I do my best focusing during the day, but I must say my attention span dwindles to a few minutes by the end of the day. To slow my attention span’s demise, I take breaks in between each class by walking around the house, snacking, and kicking a soccer ball. These breaks help a lot so I can refocus before the next class. At lunch, I eat leftovers or find something new in the depths of the fridge.
At the end of the school day, I free my mind by running to the field and practicing soccer for a couple of hours as well as doing the track workout if there is one that day. And yes, I stay away from the other adventurous Needhamites outside. Working out or practicing your sport is a great way to spend free time during the quarantine, just being active or getting ready for the next season, whenever that may be. After I get back in the evening, I eat dinner and get the rest of my work done. Once my work is done, I relax for a bit, talking with friends (online) and watching some Netflix. I just finished my favorite show, Money Heist. Originally in Spanish but it’s a great show if you need something to watch. Thus concludes my daily quarantine schedule. Stay happy, stay safe, and stay sane!
Class III- Ale Philipedes: With two parents that work in healthcare, this pandemic is certainly a source of stress for the entire family. And while there are definitely some dreary days during this time of isolation, I try to keep my head up by doing things I really enjoy, such as talking with friends, playing instruments, and going on walks. My friends and I recently found an online version of the popular board game “Settlers of Catan,” and we have been playing occasionally after school. On weekends, my family has been taking advantage of the spring weather by going on hikes. I think it’s more important than ever during this period to get outside. So much time doing online classes, homework, or scrolling through your phone all in the same place can feel disheartening, so moving somewhere else and getting some fresh air can be great.
Class II-Ben Crawford: On a typical school day, I wake up early enough to shower and eat breakfast before class. I try to finish my homework during frees or right after school. I try to go for a run or do a workout everyday. Aside from that, I’m trying to take advantage of the extra time to pick up old hobbies that I didn’t have a lot of time for before quarantine. I’ve started playing the guitar again, and find myself playing a lot between classes and with my family. I also have done more reading and movie watching – I’m trying to watch all the classics I’ve never seen, and last week I watched Django Unchained and Goodfellas. Right now I’m reading Catch-22.
The biggest change I’ve noticed in my routine is the extra time I spend just lounging in the living room talking to my family or texting my friends, and I honestly think this is a good use of time. In general, I’m obviously feeling disappointed by the lack of social activity during corona – I do miss hanging out in person with people. That said, I’m finding the sudden reduction in school work and extra free time to be very nice. I’m also feeling uncertain about the future, as I’m sure we all are – when will we go back? What will life look like over the next year or so?
As for suggestions, I recommend setting a couple goals to accomplish before the end of quarantine. The amount of unstructured time we have is a great opportunity to learn something new or pick up a new hobby. At the end of this, when we head back to school and our lives become very busy again, what will you look back and wish you had done?
Class I-Nate Ukoha: I have been mostly trying to stay busy and not focus on the news too much. Just basic things such as reading, watching Netflix, playing ps4. Mostly, I have been occupied with my ISP which I am doing from home and getting ready for a few APs coming up soon. I also try to get outside and sometimes exercise in the backyard or take a walk around my neighborhood.
It’s tough seeing the harsh effects the virus has had on families worldwide and surprising how quickly it has become a pandemic when it was at the back of a lot of minds just a few months ago. It’s also definitely disappointing not being able to finish out senior year with everyone else as we had expected and having to miss out on sports seasons that a lot of us were looking forward to. But for the most part, considering what others are going through, I am just grateful to be in good health and to have the opportunity to spend extra time with my family.
Being a basketball fan, there is a new MJ documentary series shown weekly that I think would be worth the watch. Learn new card/board games or bring back some of your favorite old ones. And try cooking if that’s something you haven’t really done before. Just stay off TikTok (except for Ben’s TikTok above– that’s quality content).
When are we going to see a new tiktok ale