To combat the boredom that has been brought on by this pandemic, South students have been baking to pass the time. Choosing to bake in their free time for their family or friends, the students have baked a variety of delicacies including cakes, brownies, and cookies.

Senior Aasiya Bhaiji has been baking so much during quarantine that she even made an Instagram account for her food. She bakes to pass the time and often shares her treats with her family members. In addition, Bhaiji said she finds that baking reduces her anxiety with the simple steps within the process and she says she loves the end result!

“For me, baking has always been a way to help with anxiety and there’s the methodical steps of baking [which] just is super calming,” Bhaiji said. “It means that I’m passing time and I get to have a pretty yummy treat at the end of whatever I do so it’s work that you put in and you [get] an immediate reward after.”

Carolin Zablocki, a junior at South, enjoys baking traditional Polish food with her mom during quarantine. Understanding the perks of baking, Zablocki noted how it has helped her stay off of her phone and has given her something to do during quarantine. In addition, she said that it has given her a way to stop worrying constantly about what’s happening right now in the world.

“During quarantine I baked a cake with my mom,” Zablocki said. “[Baking has] helped keep me entertained because it’s just very fun and it kind of takes my mind off of everything that is going on. Especially now I’ve been spending a really long time on screens and on my phone I feel like if I bake, then it kinda helps me do something productive that’s not on my phone.”

The idea that baking could bring people closer together to their families is something that Bhaiji has experienced herself. Whether it be baking together or baking for someone, both Zablocki and Bhaiji appreciate what baking during quarantine has taught them.

“It’s really fun for me to bake something and then once I finish it I can share it with my family, and if it turns out good then I’m proud of myself,” Zablock said.

Bhaiji noted how much baking has taught her during quarantine. The most important lesson, she said, was the ability to make mistakes and try again if something didn’t work out. Lastly, she said she learned to always enjoy what you bake and spend time doing something you love for or with the people around you specifically during quarantine.

“I think that it’s taught me that it’s okay to mess up because there’s been plenty of baking mishaps in the kitchen where I’m learning from mistakes,” Bhaiji said. “That’s what I really enjoy about baking, especially during quarantine.”