By Ross Sullivan, Staff Writer
As the coronavirus pandemic gets bigger and bigger, its impact keeps getting more serious. First students got out of school for two weeks, then eight weeks, then the rest of the year. All professional sports leagues are postponed until further notice. All high school spring sports are shut down, and orders call for no gatherings of 10 people or more. People must now stay at least six feet apart.
All these changes have lead to one big question: “What is there to do now?”
For many, the answer to that is simple. With the CDC issuing guidelines that everyone except needed workers stay home, people don’t realize there is so much more to do around the house. (For instance, I have found myself painting to pass the time, and I do not typically paint. I also dyed my hair pink – which is something I do not recommend.)
Whatever a person’s interests are, whether it be going on runs, walks or just gaming in their bedroom, there are plenty of things they can do.
“I started biking a lot more,” sophomore lacrosse player Ella Samson said. “I like biking from Kill Devil Hills to Southern Shores and back.¨
But for athletes who have been devastated with their seasons ending, they are searching for ways to bounce back, whether it is training or practicing even more than usual to get better for next season, just trying to get in shape or eating healthier.
“With school, homework and after-school activities going on, I am usually always busy, so it’s harder for me to stay as healthy as I would like to be,” junior cheerleader Lydia Surprenant said. “But with quarantine, it has given me more time to work out and drink a gallon of water a day! I’m definitely happier when I’m healthier.”
So, for some people this is a perfect time to get their summer body they have always dreamed of, and for sport fanatics it gives them more time to practice.
“I work out every day now,” sophomore lacrosse player Neely Morris said. “I do stick work along with working out and I try to eat healthy to stay in shape.”
Others who are bored without their sport have started to find themselves doing other activities longer than usual to pass the time.
“I work out more, but I play Xbox a lot later each nigh than usual,” sophomore lacrosse player Dylan Byard said. “I also talk to more people online than I usually would.”
People question what to do during quarantine and believe that there is nothing that will satisfy their boredom. But what they don’t realize is that there is so much more that can be accomplished on this new daily routine than the normal school day. Finding activities to fill the void spring sports have left isn’t too hard, although it isn’t quite the same.
Many sports networks are also doing a great job finding new ways to entertain their audiences, including sports channels broadcasting reruns of games and showing what athletes are doing with their time on social media to entertain their fans. For example, Steph Curry went on Instagram live to show him watching his own highlights, and Trae Young and Patrick Beverly (NBA players) have livestreamed their 2k basketball video games.
Sophomore Ross Sullivan can be reached at 22sullivanro96@daretolearn.org.
