Quarantine has forced all of us to stay inside our houses, if you’ve started running out of things to do, here are a few of my recommendations!

Reading: Pumpkinheads Written by Rainbow Rowell and Illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

Pumpkinheads is a cute, smart, and funny graphic novel that’s perfect for the autumn season. It follows two high school seniors, Josiah and Deja working at their local pumpkin patch. The colors and beautiful illustrations pair wonderfully with the humorous and fun dialogue between characters. I actually also checked this book out from the Green Level High School Media Center system, and if you want to check out this book, or another, then check out this link to find out how! 

Watching: Virtual Concerts (BTS Map of the Soul O:NE)

Due to safety guidelines, many concerts have had to be canceled, but some artists like Korean pop band BTS have moved their concerts online. 

Getting to watch BTS’s virtual concert might not have been anywhere close to seeing the real thing, but it definitely gave me something to look forward to. For a few hours, I could just watch, sing, and dance along to some of my favorite music, something that has been hard to do with the current state of the world. 

Even if you don’t love BTS, there are many artists taking their performances online now. Attending their shows is a great way to support them and their crew during a rather difficult time for artists.

Listening To: I Weigh with Jameela Jamil

I Weigh is a podcast and company, hosted and created by Jameela Jamil, also known as Tahani on The Good Place. She interviews a variety of people from Reese Witherspoon to Ibram X. Kendi with a “mission to empower and amplify diverse voices”. 

Though I have only recently discovered this podcast, it has already helped me learn so much about different people and issues that I can and can’t relate to. One of my favorite episodes is with Demi Lovato, who discusses a lot of her own experiences and struggles with mental health, body confidence, and setting boundaries, also bringing up a lot of problems teenagers deal with.

At the end of every episode, Jamil asks guests what they “weigh”, but she is not talking about pounds or kilograms. Rather, she is asking guests what makes them who they are.  

Making: Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, has been making plenty of appearances in my household during these past few months, due to its versatility and deliciousness. Specifically, kimchi fried rice is a super convenient dish, because you can add almost any leftover vegetable and rice you have to make an easy but satisfying meal. I also like to top my fried rice with an egg on top!  

Doing: Yoga

It’s hard to escape sitting at the computer when that’s where you go to school, do your homework, talk with your friends and family, relax to watch Netflix, and attend many extracurricular activities. As a result, there seems to have been a huge increase in back pain and posture problems among my family and friends. 

Yoga has helped me with my posture and state of mind. It’s not only a physical break from the computer, but a mental one too. The videos I use for yoga most often come from Yoga with Adrienne and Yoga with Kassandra.