The Silver Linings of Quarantine

Compiled by Anushree Vashist '21, Lead News Editor

During a time of uncertainty, many have been fortunate to find reprieves from the current situation, especially self-isolation. We surveyed the Hopkins community to learn more about our very own silver linings.

Graley Turner '20: "More freetime and less stress, so I have more opportunities to make art!"

Anshul Deval '25: "I get to play with my friends in new ways, I have a lot more time to read, and I get to spend time with my family."

Kat Takoudes '20: "I put air in my bike tires, got back into rollerblading and running, and made gnocchi more times than I can count."

Brad Czepiel: "More family time - especially important with two seniors at home (Meggie '20 & Ellie '16), more focus on teaching with fewer distractions, and hearing Meggie practice throughout the day."

Dan Levy: "Getting to spend more time with my daughters than I normally do."

Erika Chapin: "Birthday parades! And having lots of family time."

Abby Regan '22: "It's really special that I have so much time with my family right before my older sister is about to head off to college in a few months."

Sierra Walters '24: "We have more time to understand and do our work! We are heading into spring, with many beautiful days and more opportunities to enjoy nice weather! This lifestyle had allowed for so many people to slow down in a world where we tend to move so fast. The environment has shown improvements of air quality, and less trash."

Sophie Cassarino '20: "I have begun making board games and shelves out of cardboard and duct tape."

Lera Strickland '23: "Something that I have found to be a "silver lining" in my new lifestyle is recognizing how many people have truly impacted and changed my life positively at Hopkins. Being away from campus has given me time to reflect on how much I adore all of the people who are helping me on my journey to learning about my self and how to carry myself around others. I cannot be more thankful to have such amazing classmates and teachers who are so dear to me."

Madalena Kombo '20: "More sleep (no more bags); I have always wondered what online school was like, and I can now say that I have experienced online school; finding more comfortable outfits to wear (sweatpants are definitely a current staple)."

Thom Peters: "An affirmation of the value and importance of a “sabbath,” a time away."

Kainda Nzinga '25: I have more time to relax. Before this my family was really busy and there was something to do most days. Now I have a chance to manage my own freetime and become more independent."

Cora Partridge '23: "I feel very peaceful, being at home all day. It’s a very calming place to be for me."

Ramey Harper-Mangels '21: "The hour I have gotten back from not having to commute to school has gone into sleep, meaning I start the day with more energy than I would otherwise."

Alexander Skula '25: "I really improved my chess game. I’m also working on a solo acapella project."

Kristen Abraham: "Spending so much time with my two year old son Tommy and having time to cook more!"

Dan Drummond: "I have two silver linings -- the first is the amount of time I get to spend with my wife and daughter (JJ '22), which has been really wonderful. We also have a dog and four cats, so there's always someone about. Second, I have gotten to see first-hand the resilience, energy, commitment, and flexibility of all my Hopkins students through our on-line classwork. I've never been more impressed by my freshmen, juniors, and seniors than I have this past quarter. Awesome to see and to be a part of."

Khelan Parikh '20: "I've been able to pick up the guitar again, and am now trying to learn every Led Zeppelin song in existence."

Theo Friedman '25: "My friends and family have learned to use Zoom more often, which makes it easier to connect."

Claire Billings '25: "I've been able to eat dinner with my whole family every night, whereas before quarantine it would be just my sister and me or even only me."

Zoe Resch: "I love being able to see the spring come to my back yard. As an avid gardener, I love to see the perennials emerge in succession, and this year, I have been able to watch the incremental change from day to day as I ate meals overlooking my garden and took breaks between classes to see the new blossoms or emerging shoots. I've also really enjoyed the bountiful wild life here in the City of New Haven. We've kept our bird feeders well stocked with seed and suet, and we've seen all of the usual suspects (cardinals, chickadees, blue jays, finches, etc.) along with some exciting newcomers, including rosy breasted grosbeaks, orioles, and unidentified warblers. Even more exciting was the sighting of a bobcat strolling across our backyard patio a couple of weeks ago! (We imagine he was after our compost-fed squirrels and woodchucks.) It is good to be reminded that all sorts of life goes on whether we are there to see it or not!"

Prairie Resch '21: "We've had a garden for my whole life, but I've never done much gardening and the spring is always too busy for me. Now suddenly I have the chance to work on it before I go to college."

Jasmine Simmons, '21: "One of the best things that have come out of this quarantine for me is that I've been able to reconnect with extended family. Outside of my immediate family I don't have any blood relatives that live in Connecticut and barely any in the Northeast, but I think the isolation gave us the tools and presence of mind to connect with family that I haven't talked to in years. My favorite part is that my family in Texas has organized games of Mafia over zoom every Sunday for the past several weeks, but we have had several zoom calls on both sides of the family and it's been really special for us all to be together since we physically live all over the world."

Josie Lipcan ‘25: "The extra hour of sleep in the morning."

Ben Simon '24 "Boredom has forced me into healthy habits (i.e. reading, working out, walks, etc.)."

Ms. LaBelle-Young: "I love having the extra time with my kids! Getting out of bed later is also definitely a silver lining."

Corinne Evans '20: "I've had so much time to do fun things! My latest obsession is making pop-up books."

Sarvin Bhagwagar, '24: "I have built a primitive wooden cubby. I have hung out with my cousins and family more often. I have found more time to do academic work."

Brad Ridky: "That smell in the room, when another class has been there for the hour just before your class? It's gone."

Jillian Gleason: " While times have been crazy, it has been really nice to get to slow down and spend more time with my family. I have gotten to see my daughter Molly (5) grow and see things I probably would not have gotten to if I were at work. I also got to do more yoga, and I'm feeling physically better than I have in quite a while!"

Paola Frunzio '22: "I've gone on walks around my neighborhood and played board games with my family a lot more than I would have been able to otherwise."

Sarah Leite: "I don't have to worry about getting stuck in traffic on I-95!"

Jemma Williams Nussbaum: "A silver lining for me is definitely having more time with my 4 year old daughter and husband. It really shines a light on how little time we are together during a 'normal' work week. We have also had more time to tend to our backyard and turn it into our own personal staycation paradise: gardening, putting up patio lights, installing a swing set and hammock. We have all gained an appreciation for our little slice of home, and are glad of a little extra time to enjoy it."

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The Silver Linings of Quarantine