By KERRIGAN TYSON

Quarantine has been a bummer for everybody. Being stuck inside, surrounding activities being closed or cancelled one by one, leaving us with nothing to do. However, there are multiple things that can distract your mind from the constant talk of the virus, even if it is just ten minutes.

Reading:

Even if you’ve never considered yourself a reader or you’re finding yourself reading less books, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick reading up.  It does not hurt to pick up a novel or series, new or old, and just take a little time to read. Delve into a world of words on a page; fictional stories can take you to a land that does not exist, nonfiction books can feed your mind facts that you never knew before, biographies and autobiographies can teach you more about a person you never even heard of. If you need any suggestions, try Harry Potter, or even The Hunger Games. You may read books you will not like, and you may even discover a book that you thoroughly enjoy.

Puzzles:

Yes, you read that right. Puzzles. They may seem boring, but if you get one that is intricate and large, one with over 100 pieces, it can be fun to put the small pieces together to form a picture. The larger the number of pieces, the more committed you will end up being to the task. Put on a little background noise, maybe some music or a movie, sit down at your kitchen or dining table, and dump out the pieces. If you start with the outer pieces, it makes it so much easier.

Photography:

It never hurts to try some new skills, and since the weather has progressively getting nicer, practicing photography can be quite an adventure. Go outside, take some photos of nature; it could be a tree, a flower, a bush, maybe even a bird, or even just the grass. Photos can be taken many ways, too, so you don’t need to have an expensive camera. A phone, a handheld, or a large camera can all be used to practice the skill. You can track and slowly see your progression as you take more photos, and you may even find a new forever-habit through the experience.

Television:

This is what most people have been using to escape the tragedy of the pandemic. If you are not a huge tv person, try it out. Watch a movie you never heard of, or a movie you have wanted to watch for a while now. Start a new show, or even binge a new show, that looks interesting to you. If you want to keep up with what is happening in the world, however, you can easily watch the news and know the latest on what’s happening. If you need any show recommendations, try “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and if you need any movie recommendations, try “The Greatest Showman” or “The Goonies.”