Baking!
Learning how to bake is a great skill to learn whether its just for family and friends or if you’d like to start your own business! Which is why you should channel your inner bake off and get started with some easy recipes such as a chocolate and caramel brownie, a red velvet cupcake or even a giant cookie. And you never know, you could become the next Nadia Hussain!
Gymnastics!
This is one of my absolute favourite sports because of how creative you can be!
If you are a beginner then I recommend starting with basic skills such as:
❤ Handstands – These are considered to be a very important skill to learn as it can help you in other Tumbling skills.
❤ Back handsprings – This is important because it is a basic skill used in other back tumbling skills (like back tucks)
❤ Splits – This shape is used in a lot of skills in gymnastics such as split leaps or in the middle of back walkovers
Writing!
Would you like to be the next Malorie Blackman? Or Padma Venkatraman?
Writing is a great way of expressing opinions, feelings or ideas. There are also many different genres and styles to match YOUR personality. Maybe you’re more of a Fantasy/Sci-Fi kind of person where your character fights dragons or saves the world from aliens. Or maybe you prefer poetry, where your words turn into songs.
Volunteering! (from home)
Finally, one absolutely amazing thing that you can do over lockdown is to volunteer online at a local charity or organisation. One website for this is Vinspired or charities such as the Red Cross or Dogs Trust. When you volunteer for topics or charities that you are passionate about it helps you feel good and can help your mental health too.
Tolu, 14, Leicestershire
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It seems like a second lockdown is just about to be reality…
…if not already, for many of us. With many parts of the north-east and university students already in lockdown, it’s time for us to buckle up and try to get it right in places we didn’t last time.
TALK TO YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS!
I don’t know about you, but if there’s one thing I’ve learnt from lockdown it is just how important being with friends and family is, and what a huge impact it has on my day. Did you know that the second best indicator of experienced well-being on a given day is the quality & quantity of time spent with your loved ones? For me, I’ve found that regularly Skyping or calling my friends has been the best way to keep in contact and keep my spirits up, as it is very similar to a real conversation, but keep up with your friends in whatever way suits you! In times like this, it is more important than ever that we stick together.
DO SOME EXERCISE!
The next best activity you can engage in, is exercise! Whether it be inside using a YouTube or Instagram workout or outside on your bike, it is of such huge importance. To get outside into the fresh air can do wonders for your physical & mental health, as well as giving you some structure and normality.
FIND A NEW HOBBY
It’s been everywhere over lockdown about finding new hobbies, and that’s because it works. Not only does it give you a sense of direction and achievement, but for young people, like us, it can quite literally change your life! Personally, I have been a guitarist for 2 years and I’ve been playing so much more frequently since April, the difference between my ability now and in March is astounding! It’s such a nice thing to fill your day with and to find a creative outlet such as baking, art, music, dance, knitting, skateboarding, whatever you like. It can be one of the best things that has ever happened to you!
LEARN TO COOK
I don’t know about you but I’ve been eating takeaways and restaurant meals far less than usual. Learning to cook new things, helps your parents or guardians get a break, it can be really fun and serve you for the rest of your life. As well as that, it allows you to make what you want and get a better appreciation of the things you have and the food you eat. You might also discover something new and wonderful: orange cake is a recommendation from me!
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
School isn’t for everyone but learning absolutely is. With the internet, you can find any information that you want with just the click of a button, so if you ever find yourself with extra time on your hands, you should really utilise that! There are tons of FREE online courses and websites that you can use such as Duolingo (languages) or FutureLearn (a free website with courses on a huge variety of topics). Or on the other hand for something a bit less intense, why not watch a documentary or TED talk on a topic that interests you- there’s no such thing as knowing too much!
FIND A NEW OBSESSION AND MAKE FRIENDS
As I’m sure you know already, TV shows, films and following celebrities can be a great way to pass time, but they can also be a great way to make new friends! Fandom isn’t for everyone, but it is for some people and there are so many niche areas of a multitude of different creators from video editors to artists to conspiracy theorists- there really can be something for everyone. Next time you get really enraptured by something, why not search it up on Tumblr, Twitter or Instagram and see what you find! There are tons of wonderful people you can find and talk to!
I hope you all found this useful and maybe gained some ideas in the process! If you have any other ideas comment them down below and remember to stay safe and take the right precautions!
Ella, 15, Yorkshire
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