When we got the email from Temple saying we were going home for the remainder of the semester, I was in shock. With other schools simply extending spring break, I was convinced that the virus would blow over quickly. Little did I know that we would be in quarantine for five entire months, with no end in sight.
Being someone who enjoys socializing and hanging out with others, I knew staying confined to my house was going to be rough. Since I was living at home, I had to follow my parents’ rules. This meant that I could not see anyone outside of my immediate family until Lehigh Valley entered the yellow phase.
So I thought to myself, in more colorful language, “Crap, what the hell am I going to do. I’m going to be so bored this summer.” And then I discovered home tie dye kits, which was just the beginning of my crafty adventure.
I kid you not, I tie dyed 40 shirts this summer. I got really into creating different patterns, playing with color combinations, and trying to create shirts that matched other personalities. After I blew my savings on dyes, I decided to move onto bracelet making. This was much more cost effective. At 1 hour per bracelet, I’d literally crank out 8 a day. That’s how into it I was.
I started to wonder how I was able to create so much without getting burned out, and I realized it was therapeutic for me. Since I was unable to see my friends, I found comfort in making things for them. By trying to use colors that represented them, I felt connected to each person I made a shirt or a bracelet for, even though I could not be with them physically. Doing something creative every day also gave me an outlet to express myself, which was so helpful during quarantine.
Hopefully we will see an end to this soon, but for anyone who is struggling emotionally due to quarantine, I highly recommend trying your hand at DIY projects. Bracelet making and tie dye might not be your jam, but there's a whole world of projects out there. You might really enjoy knitting, sculpting, or even building your own piece of furniture.
This blog post was written by Amelia Wilt, Conference Coordinator
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