With after-school activities no longer in session and the ability to socialize being taken away, accessible activities like crafting, drawing, and cooking have been a great way for people to spend their time. These types of activities have helped to distract from all of the devastating news coming in each day. Let’s take a look at how a few RHS students have been coping with the coronavirus pandemic through art and food!
Junior Ava Haberman started a food preparation business in early March as a way to further her passion for cooking. “Every Sunday I prepare 5 meals for them (usually a type of vegetable/salad bowl with grilled chicken) and then drop it off on their porch,” she explains. “My favorite meal to make, which I make about once a week, has to be rosemary salmon and potatoes along with some type of banana bread hybrid with peanut butter.” Ava has even created an Instagram account showcasing a variety of dishes she makes.
However, school lunches are no longer needed, and people have more time on their hands to make their own meals, but that’s okay. “I used to meal prep for a lot more people before quarantine but now I just make weekly meals for one person,” she says. “Now, my cooking serves as an escape and stress reliever.” Ava explains how she looks forward to cooking each meal because she can purely focus on the food and forget about all of the stressful events going on.
Junior Ella Oh has also been exploring her artistic interests lately. “Without sports or other activities after school,” she began, “I decided to try some new things during quarantine.” Ella was inspired by talented journalists she had been seeing on social media and decided to give it a try herself. “To my surprise, I found it really enjoyable and relaxing, and it’s a fun way to pass time and show my own creativity.” Ella has also created an account on Instagram to showcase her work and allow friends to suggest future ideas in the comments. “Making collages has made me feel more productive during quarantine,” Ella says, “and has been a great way for me and others to express ourselves and show how we are feeling during this time.”
Another RHS student who has used this time to focus on her art is junior Ellen Modlin. Ellen has always enjoyed drawing, but with the craziness of junior year, she has not had the time she would have liked to focus on it. Ellen explains, “It’s relaxing and I didn’t have time for it during school so now I have so much more free time to focus on that.” She has now been able to draw almost every day.
Though teenagers stuck at home cannot cure the virus themselves, finding healthy ways to cope with it is important as well. People are finding light amid these difficult and uncertain times which gives us all hope.
Tess Cundiff
Digital Content Editor
Graphic: Tess Cundiff