With all this free time, I’ve started a bunch of new interests. From baking to binge-watching Netflix, I’ve begun to explore different passions to pass time.
One big difference I’ve made in my life is planning intricate meals for lunch. I didn’t have much time to prepare anything above a sandwich, especially during online school. However, during the summer, I have started to spend more time researching different recipes for lunch. Some meals that I have made in the past week include spinach pie, banana cake, and cheese bread. It feels like a lot of work for one meal, but I find the process soothing and relaxing.
Another way I spend time is watching Netflix. I like the show Homeland. It’s about a CIA analyst with bipolar disorder and how she navigates through different events. There are eight seasons, and I am currently on the seventh. I think that it’s really interesting because it shows the perspective of different countries on terror events. I’ve always had this image of TV being a mindless source of entertainment, but I think that if you take the time to reflect and absorb the material, it can actually be thought-provoking.
Besides what I have already mentioned, I have also been reading more. I’ve gotten a lot of recommendations from friends and family, and I am trying to go through the list before school starts. I think that it is another way to stay connected with other people. Even though we may be isolated from others, reading the same books keeps us connected. After finishing a book, I like talking to the person who recommended it. These chats make me feel comforted and are a reminder that I am not alone.
I also have this need to be intellectually stimulated. There are many free courses on edX, Coursera, and Udacity, and they range from broad to very specific. Personally, I’m interested in data science, so I enrolled in a course hosted by UCSD (UC San Diego). You can chat with other people enrolled in the same class, so it is another way to feel connected.
As I discover or rediscover interests, I am grateful for the time I have to learn more about myself.
—Anna
Written by: Naomi Katayama