Out of school and unable to see friends because of social distancing rules that are intended to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, many teens find it challenging to stay positive–but they are also rising to the challenge.

Sophomore Allison Reboin is no exception. 

“Some of the challenges that I have faced in the past couple of weeks have been not being able to see my friends, the rest of my family, and my dog that is staying at my grandmother’s house,” she said. 

But one month into the statewide shelter-in-place order, she’s tried a raft of activities to keep her spirits up. 

“I have done lots of baking, like making souffle pancakes, watched movies, done puzzles, played games, and watched three seasons of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in only four days,” she said.

Rio Americano students, like Reboin, have been trying to stay optimistic and engaged by doing activities at their homes to stay busy throughout this quarantine. 

Junior Baily Broderick has joined a trend that has made jigsaw puzzles hotter commodities than toilet paper. 

“Some things I like doing to stay engaged during shelter in place are baking and doing puzzles,” said Broderick. “These activities keep me entertained and are a good alternative from watching TV and playing on my phone.”

Not all students are as concerned about finding an alternative to watching TV. However, all students who responded to the Mirada about how they stay positive while sheltering-in-place mixed binge watching with something more productive. 

“During this scary phase in my life, some of the things I have been doing to keep myself active and positive include morning runs and workouts I have found on youtube, as well as cooking and baking with my mom,” said senior Maddie Harris. “I must also include the mass amount of time I have spent on binge-watching my favorite Netflix shows, and the excessive amount of facetime calls with my friends to keep in touch. 

Exercise was a common theme in student responses. And with gyms being closed, student athletes and their less-active classmates have turned to at home workouts. 

“I have started doing online workout classes in order to stay in shape because my gym is not accessible at this time,” said junior Gianna Nocetti. “I have found that this also helps me be more productive with my school work because of the high that I get after working out.”

Many students take advantage of the American River Parkway, the 32-mile-long regional trail and nature area that runs behind the campus. 

“During this shelter and place I have been trying to stay productive with some school work and exercise,” said junior Mari Zimmerman. “I have gone on a few hikes but frequently bike with my mom along the American River,” said Zimmerman. “For me, staying productive and feeling accomplished with my day has helped me remain positive and helps me forget all the activities I’m missing out on.” 

Many students said what they miss most is being able to hang out with friends–or even just seeing classmates. But some students are finding more connections with their families, as they quarantine together. 

“The best way I’ve been staying positive and active during quarantine is doing things with my family,” said junior Tyler McGlynn. “Usually it’s doing puzzles with them, playing board games, or going out on the street to play volleyball with my brother. Also we’ve been using the hot tub a lot.”

 Art is a way for students to express their emotions, or just a way for them to fill their days in quertine with. 

“During quarantine, I like to cheer myself up by painting, said junior Vanessa Islas-Rangel. “So far I’ve started to paint the iconic hands from ‘The Creation of Adam’ on my bedroom wall.”

Others have taken the time to try new things or do things that they usually would not have time for. 

“During this shelter in place I have tried to do some of the things I always wish I had more time for. I have been reading a lot more, which is something I haven’t been able to do in years, and enjoying baking (mostly desserts), said junior Grace Montgomery. “I’m finding that I definitely need to go outside or be active once a day, so I’ve been going on some runs and lots of bike rides. It’s hard not to just sit around and let the days go by but I’m trying to find things that work for me.” 

In a time when bad news is constantly flowing through social media and news outlets, teens point out that it is important to still have a positive outlook to get through uncertain times. 

In her efforts to stay positive, Allison Reboin recognizes the challenges.

“It’s very unclear and unknown what life is going to be like for the next couple months. Hopefully, it won’t be as boring, because I’m running out of Melissa Mcarthy movies to watch.”