Get to know our community through interviews with students, parents, siblings, and faculty members about their experience with the shelter-in-place and things they are looking forward to.
IN TODAY’S POST:
Fangling Lin, Parent | Leilani C., Grade 9 | Eliza B., Grade 6
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FANGLING LIN, PARENT
What is one thing you want to do as soon as the shelter-in-place is lifted?
Probably go to a state park. I would love to just enjoy some sunshine, breathe in fresh air, and appreciate nature.
What is one thing you have learned about yourself during quarantine?
I’ve learned that I’m actually pretty good at fixing things, if I have the time to do so. I was able to repair one of my old Swiss watches during quarantine, which was pretty unexpected, since the last time I tried to fix something so delicate I ended up just breaking it even more.
What’s one new habit or activity you have picked up during quarantine?
I’ve started to spend more time gardening in our backyard. I planted some strawberries and other fruits, and even built a trellis for our grapevine. I guess gardening helps to satiate the adventurous side of me, and I feel much calmer in nature.
How do you think your life will change compared to pre-quarantine?
I think I’ll be more careful when out in public and try to avoid large social gatherings. I also won’t be able to travel as much for work, which I’m kind of sad about, but at least I’ll stay safe and spend more time with my family.
What’s your favorite space in your home to go to during quarantine?
Honestly, I love my room because I’m kind of stuck in there most of the time doing work or talking to friends and family over Zoom. It helps me take my mind off quarantine, and I can both work and relax while social distancing. My bed is also there, and I’m kind of a night owl that needs tons of sleep.
Favorite thing you ate during quarantine?
A platter of fresh fruit with some trail mix. It’s a great way to feel energized.
One “forbidden fruit” thing you want to do during quarantine?
I would want to go to a nice restaurant. Sometimes I just get tired of cooking every single day, and I really just want to enjoy eating something nice that I don’t have to make.
LEILANI C., GRADE 9
What is one thing you have learned about yourself during quarantine?
I’ve honestly realized that it’s actually kind of nice to be alone and not talk to anyone. I do want to see everyone again, but I think one thing that I’ve learned is that I don’t mind being alone and that it’s actually sort of peaceful. I’m not saying that I don’t miss my friends because I definitely do miss seeing everyone in person. It’s interesting because I’m usually around my friends 24/7 and now I can’t be with them. I actually enjoy being alone which I didn’t really know about myself before because I didn’t have much time alone.
What is one thing you want to do as soon as the shelter-in-place is lifted?
I want to see my friends again. It’s way different when you’re actually with people than over the screen. I just miss actually seeing people in person.
How do you think your life will change compared to pre-quarantine?
My family was already pretty conscious about germs because my mom works in a hospital, so I think what we do in our house isn’t going to change too much. I think mainly we will try to minimize how much we go to the store and other public areas after quarantine.
What do you miss most about attending classes on campus?
I just feel like when you’re in the same room as your classmates and teachers, it feels more engaging. I miss actually seeing people in person. Also, Zoom makes it really hard to have conversations with classmates.
What’s one new habit or activity you have picked up during quarantine?
I haven’t really done many new things, but there are some things that I normally don’t have time to do that I can now do more. I like to songwrite and knit, but before quarantine, I didn’t really have time to do those things. I now try to songwrite every day.
Did you try anything new during quarantine?
I tried to make donuts and they were slightly chewy, but other than that they turned out really well. I found the recipe online—basically all you need to make donuts is pancake mix. I used pancake mix, but instead of making it into a batter, I used a lot less water and I stirred it until it became a sticky dough. I scooped it up with an ice cream scooper and plopped it into oil and I fried them on a pan on my stove. We took them out and dipped them into powdered sugar. We also made a glaze out of powdered sugar and milk and drizzled that over my next batch. I made a lot of them because they were donut holes, and I shared them with my family.
Favorite thing you ate during quarantine?
I’ve had a lot of good meals during quarantine. My favorite meal was the potato soup my mom made for us. It was basically a really creamy potato soup with cheese and scallions. We also had saltines with it on the side. She had never made it before. She saw the recipe online and tried it, and it turned out to be really, really good.
Favorite space to go to during quarantine?
Probably my room. I’d say it’s my favorite place because I’m just in there most of the time. I also have my instruments in there, and just a lot of stuff I’ve been doing during quarantine is in my room. My computer is there, my instruments, and musical props, including a green screen.
Your favorite object during quarantine?
My favorite object has definitely been my favorite ukulele. It is the object I’ve been using most, besides my computer, during quarantine. I write my own songs, play old songs, and learn new songs. Currently, my friend and I are working on a new song together. The song started as a joke. We got bored so we were on a website one day with a software that generates random sentences. We decided to write a song based on a random sentence, so it is about a giant raisin.
ELIZA B., GRADE 6
What is one thing you want to do as soon as the shelter-in-place is lifted?
I probably want to meet up with my friends and re-plan the end-of-year party because we’re probably going to miss that. I want to be able to talk to people I haven’t seen since quarantine since they live so far from me and we’re not really supposed to be visiting people. And I’ll actually get to see the entire grade instead of it just being a couple of people.
What is one thing you have learned about yourself during quarantine?
I really don’t like exercising. I like sports, but I don’t like exercising on my own. And watching TV isn’t as fun as it seems because it makes you kind of feel sad that you’re not doing anything else.
What is one thing you have learned about someone you are quarantining with?
My mom doesn’t like to cook dinner that much and my dad seems to like it. I learned that my mom likes gardening—I didn’t know that before.
Did you try anything new during quarantine?
Oh, I tried to learn sign language. I only know a couple of words and it’s really hard.
What was one mistake you made during quarantine?
I accidentally slept through one of my classes.
Favorite place to be during quarantine?
I like going to play tennis at our country club nearby because I get to go with my dad. I’m not very good at it, but it’s still fun.
