This spring break, many plans were cancelled, trips postponed and gatherings broken up because of COVID-19. Many students were looking forward to getting away from the bores of school, but what can you do when everything is closed down?  Spring brea may be over, but thanks to stay-at-home orders, we can still use this break to relax while we have all the extra time. Here are some ways to live life to the fullest, while staying around the house.

1. Change up your room. This is the perfect time to change some things up. Maybe move your bed around, reorganize your closet, or paint a wall. Whether you want a simple change, or a whole re-do, reorganizing your bedroom is a perfect way to occupy your time this break.
2. Bake. Baking is a great stress reliever, and a great project. Plus, the options are limitless to what you can bake. This is a great way to satisfy you mind and your stomach. You can bake for you, for your family, or you can gift the dessert to your neighbors (which could earn your some brownie-points). You can find great recipes online or  if your a make-it-from-the-box kind of person, the directions on the back work just as well.
3. Exercise. Being stuck at home isn’t an excuse to stay on the couch and binge Netflix all day. Exercise is very important for your mental and physical health. Although it may sound dreadful, believe it or not there are some super fun ways to burn calories. For example, Just Dance is a video game for the Wii that will definitely make you sweat. In Just Dance, you and your friends (or family members because quarantine) can dance to see who has the better moves. This is both a fun and effective way to exercise. Another strategy is YouTube videos. There are some great workout videos online because whether you like Zumba, Yoga, or just a simple floor workout, YouTube has your back.
4.  Read. Reading may sound boring, but a good book can be very addictive. Reading is a great option to have on this break because it is relaxing, doesn’t require a lot of work, and it gives you a chance to escape the (sometimes scary) reality of today. It’s basically like watching TV in your head but so much better because you can understand what the characters are feeling and thinking instead of having to read facial expressions. Books are better for you than TV because of the effects TV has on your eyes, your brain, and even your neck. Reading  is a great way to relax this break and a great way to occupy some time. For some book ideas, check out our article, Teacher-approved novels to read for school.
5.  Arts and Crafts. This break gives us the perfect time to “unleash our inner artist”, as make-up artist James Charles says. There are so many ways to be creative: painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, sketching, and more. Being creative helps calm the mind and can be a way to vent emotions. Like Olaf said in Frozen II, ” We’re calling this controlling what you can when things feel out of control”. Having a stable, unchanging aspect in your life is necessary in a world our doubt and uncertainty. Again, YouTube has some great videos to help you be creative. For example, art legend Bob Ross has some great videos to help you paint some “happy little trees” and beautiful scenery. Don’t be scared to mess up because he states that “mistakes are just happy accidents”.