To make the best out of the worst, we talked to people who were able to utilize their free time at home to learn a new skill that they have always wanted to learn.

The pandemic has altered our lives in so many ways, changing our definition of a normal structure of everyday routine and obligating us to fit our worlds within the four walls as much as we can. But, to make the best out of the worst, we talked to people who were able to utilize their free time at home to learn a new skill that they have always wanted to learn.

 

Akriti Yogi

Mandala Artist

Growing up, I was quite into doodling mandala patterns on the side of my notebooks every time I was bored. But with the free time that came along with the lockdown, the curiosity to know about what mandala art really means filled me. I found out that this art had been alive from ancient times where mythologies believed that, the circles, in this art, represent the universe and the patterns stood as a sign of peace and our inner souls; it together represents the connection between the universe and our souls. This fascinated me, and I caught up to my old hobby and started utilizing my time to get better at it.

To me, mandala art has become like therapy, helping me reduce stress. I try to do it whenever I get bored or anxious, and I am able to represent my feelings in patterns. And, the end product always turns out beautiful to look at.

 

Shreyashka Vikram Raj Maharjan

Design

As a freelance photographer and professional writer, I’ve always admired great design. I believe the art of designing is something that helps accentuate our work and makes readers appreciate our efforts even more. Being an avid photographer, I always wanted to learn In-design to explore more of what can come out of it. But, due to my work schedule, finding the time to do so was extremely difficult. Due to my work schedule, finding the time to do so was extremely difficult. The lockdown was the perfect time for me to take what I picked up from my colleagues further. 

Now, it has allowed me to put together a photo book, a collection of my photographic adventures. Along with this, it also increased my appreciation for professional graphic designers as the work is intricate.

 

Nasib K.C.

Piano

As the lockdown first came through, my aunty had brought a keyboard at home, but I was never too into it at the beginning. Later on, with lesser things to do every day, I ran across some piano tutorials on youtube. This lead me to a rabbit hole of classical music and orchestras, and I started developing this different kind of love and appreciation for classical music. Classical musicians, pianists, and composers started to inspire me as I used to spend my days listening to their music. This made me want to learn piano too; the art of making music and learning to play different notes with each of my hands fascinated me. So, I went back to the keyboard and started watching youtube step-by-step piano tutorials.

Today, I am still learning more and more every day, and I have come to understand how simple it is to start learning to play the keyboard on my own and I plan on growing my skills more with time.

 

Ananta Saurabh

Nature Photography

With the lockdown obligating us to stay inside our homes, my family and I built a habit of taking a short walk on the terrace or the garden at least once a day to freshen up our minds. That’s when I took my time to closely observe and admire little things around me, like birds, plants, and, flowers. I decided to take pictures of them on my phone to look at them later. This eventually became a pattern, every day, and I started taking pictures of everything that caught my eyes. That is how I got into photography, and ever since then, my gallery started filling up with bits and pieces of nature, exploring its details, and finding something new to capture in every angle that stuck out to me.

Today, the way I view the world has beautifully changed. I realize that I notice tiny details in almost everything I see. The simple things that used to pass by from the corner of my eyes now inspire me to take pictures and keep the beauty of that detail with me at all times.