In the middle of a week filled with back-to-back meetings, I was almost amused at the thought of how I spent my days in quarantine in comparison. Running from one class to another, I try to remember how differently I functioned with virtually no schedule at all.
When I was stuck in the house I explored every random hobby just to fill the days from YouTube workouts to painting. When I was bored of being bored, I made lists of everything I was excited to do once the world opened back up again.
With winter break around the corner, I wondered what I would do if I had even a few days of 2020 levels of free time. As I began to fill in the blanks, I was beginning to understand what was really important to me to prioritize as I entered the new year. Out of everything I thought of from big and small to silly and serious, here are my top five picks.
- Sewing
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I have a pile of sewing projects and patterns I’ve had in my closet since high school. Every summer I say I’m going to work on them but never really make a dent in the pile. During quarantine, I started to make clothes more consistently than I ever had before. I always thought school on top of clubs and work would not allow time to sew, but I’m going to have a new routine trial run.
- Prioritizing spending time with family and friends
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I used to spend hours on the phone with friends and family catching up, watching shows and playing games. As life returned to “normal,” these calls began to decrease to near obscurity. I always reconnect with everyone over the holidays and then it fades by February. Even though everyone is mutually understanding about busy conflicting schedules, I want to make a better effort going forward.
- Falling back in love with fashion
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I first found my love for my major through movies, books and shows. Coming to college, I became caught up in the technical day-to-day of doing assignments and projects. The excitement I had for watching full fashion week shows and staying on top of the latest news got lost in the shuffle.
- Cooking More
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With less access to ordering out, I feel like everyone toned up their cooking chops during quarantine. I was the queen of meal prep for a few short months and I want to get in the habit of bringing that back because it made life so much easier and saved me money that I could use elsewhere.
- Working out outside of my routine
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Limited at home without a gym, I was trying new things to get my workouts in without getting bored. I missed spin classes and dance classes as options to go to with the girls. Going to the pool was no longer a thing or taking those self-defense classes I always wanted to do. I swore once things cleared up I would be quick to sign up for everything, but making it to lift weights at Cary Street and occasional yoga classes are the extent of my current routine. The New Year is the perfect time to find a new class to add to my spring schedule.
Consider what you would do with endless days of free time to set yourself up for the most fulfilling break possible!