Atticus Benfield
Reporter
Now more than ever, we are all in desperate need of entertainment. Now that we are several months into quarantine and have moved out of our sourdough and puzzle phase, it’s time we came up with some new ideas.
Since quarantine began, Jacquelynn Marsh has been quite bored. With little to do and nowhere to go, she has indulged herself with hobbies. When asked about what she had been doing these past months she said, “Well, I've been discovering a lot about what music I love and who I want to be... I've written a lot of poetry, essays, and even a song. I play a lot of solitaire and other games with my sister.”
When asked about new hobbies she had tried during isolation, Jacquelynn said, “I've learned that I have an affinity for fashion. For example, my mom bought me a dress, but the site did the measurements wrong and it didn't fit. My sister sews better than I do, so I asked her to help me with my idea to repurpose it into a shirt with a lace trim and a skirt.” When asked if this is something she would continue to dabble in even after quarantine ends, she replied “Yep!”
Another hobby of hers is one she could not carry out this year: swimming. Not only are all public pools closed, but her family doesn’t own one. I mentioned how that must be difficult, to which she responded “It's ok! I realize that so many other people have it so much worse, and I wish them all the best.”
Towards the end of our interview, I asked ‘Would you have tried these hobbies if we weren’t in quarantine?’ She was quick to respond with “Probably not because I'm always doing something, whether it's a summer road trip or summer school to get ahead, I've truly never had this much time to relax.”
When asked about what activities she recommends she replied “Once it gets cool enough, I highly recommend daily bike rides and climbing trees. As much as people might not want to do it, I'd recommend cleaning their house in depth. I would also recommend taking some time to slow down and think about life as well, you know, "who are you?" and "who do you want to be?"
After concluding the meeting, I thanked her for a thoughtful interview, and she thanked me for having her. Quarantine is a great time to try the thing you’ve always wanted to try. Whether it’s painting, dancing, reading, or writing. Now is a great time to start pursuing your interests.