By Louie Chung
Summer ended in the blink of an eye: I remember feeling panicked. When quarantine began, I thought, finally, some time to work on myself without the stress of school. With time on my side, I began looking for ways to improve my life. I read countless Medium articles and watched many inspiring TedTalks. However, as time went on, like the stereotypical teen I am, I began to put off my self-improvement projects to the next day, then the next week, then the next month. Before I knew it, summer vacation was over and school was starting the next day. Why had I spent the past few months stuffing my face with ‘Famous Amos’ cookies and watching reruns of ‘The Office?’ I thought. Unlike me, however, some of our South High staff spent their time slightly differently, choosing to integrate new hobbies and projects into their lives. 
As a long-time  participant in high-intensity contact activities such as wrestling, boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Special Education teacher and Varsity Fencing Head Coach Mr. Joshua Baravarian found it especially difficult to adjust to the stagnancy quarantine brought. So, with social distancing on his mind, he bought a road bike and headed out onto the open road. Biking is an outlet for Mr. Baravarian; he grabs his AirPods, puts on his shoes and bikes for twenty miles as a way to disconnect for a while. He says that once he’s out there, the only thought in his head is to avoid getting hit by passing cars. “We’re kinda stuck. There’s no parties, there’s no movie theaters, there’s no hanging out with your friends. The things that we do are very limited, so we have to find ways of getting through it until things get back to normal,” said Mr. Baravarian. Having that outlet has allowed him to deal with the frustrations and boredom that quarantine brings while staying fit, safe and healthy.  
Guidance Counselor Mrs. Carly Bank was training for a half marathon when COVID-19 threw a wrench into her plans. However, she adjusted quickly and discovered the popular trend called the Running Streak where the only criteria is to run at least a mile every day. Mrs. Bank  ran at least 3 miles for the first 100 days, keeping the streak alive even in torrential downpours and hurricanes. Running has become an activity she loves doing; she emphasizes that if people love something, they should prioritize it. She is currently on Day 151, and does not plan on stopping any time soon, even as life slowly gets back to normal