DIYAH (Do It Yourself At Home)

During the crazy times that we are going through right now, with all the viruses and the stress from school, you may be looking for something new to do in order to pass the time. There are a few things that you and your family may love doing together or that you may enjoy doing by yourself. Right now is the perfect time to try some new things out after you get done with online school or just any time that you are bored.

There are a few new hobbies that you can pick up during your free time. If you have a cell phone, then you have access to photography. Look at the things around you that are different than others. Look at things that stand out and capture the perfect angle. Let the item you photograph tell a story that you get to choose. If you end up enjoying photography, then you can join the Photography class, taught by Ms. Wells, here at Heritage.

Another hobby you could take up is painting. Painting can be used to express how you feel, or you can just do it for fun. Art is something that you can’t truly be bad at. No matter how other people look at it, what you paint is what you enjoy. There are a lot of different styles you can try out that may be more fun for you than the other styles. Try it out. If all else fails then you just have a cheesy gift to give to somebody.

One of the things you can try out with your family is a new board game! I know what you are thinking: “That’s so basic.” I thought so too until I was stuck with my family in quarantine for a couple months. We especially enjoyed playing UNO Flip. This is a game much like the classic UNO we all learned how to play in elementary school, but it has a twist. There are the classic colors on one side, and then on the other there is a dark mode that has more risky cards like a “draw five” card, a “skip everyone” card, and more! It takes a second to adjust to the differences in this version, but we had so much fun playing it that we would have nightly games. Looking for new games to play or twists on the classics can be more fun than you think.

Other things you can do include coming up with your own games to play with your family or friends. Over the summer my family came up with a game we like to call “frisbee golf.” Basically you pick a spot to start and a place on your property that you want to be the thing you hit. We started in our driveway and chose a tree about twenty five to thirty yards away. You try to throw the frisbee as close as you can to the target you chose and then see how many times it takes you to hit it with the frisbee.

One more thing that you can do around the house after school is to look at things around the house that nobody uses, ask a parent if you can have it, and then make it better. Upcycle the things around your house! Do you have an old lamp shade that is starting to look dingy? You can paint it, tie dye it, or turn it into something new altogether! Look at the things around you and make them yours. Turn them into something you enjoy.

I know that not being able to go to some of your favorite places can be annoying, but try out some new things, do stuff that you never thought you’d ever have a chance to do. Take time to focus on stuff that will make you happy. With all your school work and whatever else you may have to do, remember to put yourself first.