While in Quarantine: Activities to Boost your Mental Health

Many of us have already returned or will be returning to school virtually this year. As we enter the new school year, it’s important to take time to do things that make you feel calm and happy. Whether it’s before/after school hours or over the weekend, these three activities that I’ve been doing during quarantine are fun and beneficial for your mental health.

Penpalling

Penpalling is a creative and social outlet that helps relieve loneliness and stress. You can write letters to a friend, a family member, or someone you’ve found online through safe communication. Once you’ve found a pen pal, you can unwind through writing, drawing, decorating envelopes, and making little gifts. Remember that exchanging drawings and gifts is fun, but not required! Penpalling is all about sharing greetings, wishes, memories, emotions, and ideas.

Baking

What’s beautiful about baking is the therapeutic process of making foods and the delicious reward that comes with it. Measuring out ingredients and following a recipe requires focus, giving those struggling with anxiety or stress a distraction to escape into. Start off with simple recipes, like cookies, brownies, and muffins. Use video tutorials on YouTube cooking channels such as Joshua Weissman to watch someone explain all of the steps. Remember that baking is about comfort, peace, and creativity.

Reading Webcomics

Reading online comics is fun and engaging! In spite of what people say, reading online comics still qualifies as reading, even if you aren’t physically flipping through the pages. Reading comics will take you away from the stressors of your daily life. You can appreciate the visuals, plots, and characters, as well as the benefits of being able to read wherever you are for free. Online webcomic platforms such as Webtoon have stories of many genres and are the perfect place to start!