COVID-19 has taken away so much from each of our lives. The pandemic has caused everyone to stay stuck in their homes and change up their routine lives. However, people quickly learned to take advantage of the extra time and allow their creativity to run wild.
One way to utilize time wisely is to further educate oneself. Free courses are offered many places online, and taking the chance to learn about something new can allow personal growth. For example, one can complete classes on Coursera, EDX, Class Central, and more. Even elite colleges like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale provide free online classes, and some have credits available for you to earn. The American Red Cross also has a variety of virtual healthcare courses for anyone to take. One can also earn certain certifications with completion of these classes. Taking advantage of this free education virtually is a beneficial way to expand one’s thoughts and learn during this pandemic.
Another way to spend time efficiently during quarantine is to create a website; whether it is a blog, portfolio, or even a business–the possibilities are honestly endless. There are many free website-building sites such as Wix, Weebly, and Webstarts, where one can make their own page to pour their work into. A friend of mine, from Valencia High School, decided to start a blog where she uploads family recipes to share with others. If you’re someone with a mind full of rampant ideas who is seeking a way to share your voice, creating and updating a website may be an exciting new experience that you can work on from the comfort of your home.
Even with quarantine separating everyone, there is still an opportunity to empower others, even if it is virtual. Although some volunteer programs have been canceled, there are still countless ways to give back to the community. For example, the pediatric nursing facility, Exceptional Care for Children, is accepting letters, artworks, vocal or instrumental music pieces, and children’s book read-alouds through email, to uplift children facing medical challenges.
It may have felt like all hope was lost once COVID-19 canceled most events, but in reality, there is a vast number of activities spanning across multiple fields that can be participated in during this quarantine. Learning new material through online classes, using any pre-existing and newfound knowledge to creatively communicate with the public, and even using personal abilities to help out others during this time are great things that can impact many lives. Even when things drastically change, one can still reignite their creativity.
