When the COVID-19 first hit the United States, many states were under mandatory quarantine, restricting people to their homes with few exceptions. Since there were very few options on things to do for entertainment, Americans had to get creative to keep busy.
On April 3, Governor Parson issued the first stay at home order for Missouri residents. It went into effect on April 6. Since then, residents in Missouri have had regulations regarding going out, gathering sizes and opening businesses.
“When we first started quarantine, I thought it would only last a week or two. I didn’t have a problem staying in the house and playing games. It was like an extended spring break at first. I couldn’t complain,’’ said senior Darrion McMiller.
However, quarantine lasted longer than many people expected. While having the opportunity of playing video games and scrolling through TikTok all day seemed like a blessing, it became boring really fast. People began thinking outside of the box for creative activities to keep busy.
“I thought playing video games could hold me over until things opened up. To my surprise, I got tired of playing them. To switch things up, my family would prepare our dinner around a different theme, and we would decorate the house,” said McMiller.
While the majority of people stayed inside, some had jobs and worked during quarantine as essential workers. Workplaces were required to follow CDC guidelines in order to keep everyone safe. However, some workplaces failed to maintain a safe environment, causing panic for the workers and customers.
“I started working at UPS right when corona hit. I definitely prefer working than being in the house. The only thing is that it’s impossible to socially distance, also, some people don’t wear masks. Hopefully, they can get something in place because a lot of people are quitting,” said senior Gaberial Bumbac.

With so much time on people’s hands, it gave North students a chance to discover new hobbies and hidden talents. It also gave people a chance to go search within and relieve some stress.
“I know it’s a crazy time we’re in, but I tried to make the most of it to better myself in all aspects. I know we will probably never get this much time to ourselves in a long time, so I take advantage. I would try to learn something new either off YouTube or a random article,” said Bumbac.