How to Stay Busy During Quarantine

By: Micah Handorff

I know by now that finding productive or fun things to do while self isolating can be tricky, but here is a list of things to try if you are finding yourself with nothing to do!

1. Read!!

Pick up and continue a great book or start a new one.

2. Exercise

If the weather is nice there are countless things to do outside, like going on a jog, bikeride, or walk, or just grabbing a soccer ball or basketball and dribbling/shooting around for a while.

3. Cook

Make a fun meal for yourself or your family, and if all you can make are sandwiches and eggs, expand your abilities and try out some recipes. (Remember to have adult supervision if you are younger.)

4. Play Music

If you are a musician pick up that instrument and learn a new song or practice an old one. If not, then find an instrument around the house and learn to play a simple song. If you don’t have any instruments, just pull up a song on a device and sing along!

5.Watch Netflix

If the weathers not so nice, or you're just in the mood, find a long movie you have been putting off, or just binge a whole show if that's what you know you're going to do either way.

6.Talk to Friends

Call, Facetime, or text some friends that you have missed during quarantine.

7.Learn Something

There are tons of things to learn, Duolingo is a great app if you want to start learning a new language, a new magic trick always pays off (if it works). You could even do something crazy like learning how to ride a unicycle, but be careful and take precautions like wearing pads, because the doctors are not somewhere you want to be now, or ever.

8.Play Videogames

Video games are a great way to have fun with friends or just mess around.

9.Plant Something

If you have a garden or somewhere to put plants, you should put some seeds in the ground and watch them grow.

10.Make Art

Pull out a pencil or a paint set and go to town!

11.Write

Write a story, a journal of COVID, or make a letter and send it to a grandparent or someone you love.

How to Solve a Rubik's Cube

By: Roman Reschert

There are six steps:

Step 1: white cross

Step 2: white corners

Step 3: second Layer

Step 4: top cross

Step 5: match Top cross

Step 6: match corners

Step 7: rotate corners

Step 0:

You actually first have to learn what is called notation - it is how to distinguish different moves. It works by what side it is (Front, Left, Right, Back, Up, and Down). A apostrophe means prime - or counter clockwise.

Step 1:

find the white center, find an edge, turn the white center until it is on the bottom of the cube. Then, you have to get the white edges onto the correct side. You have to make sure that the edges match up with the other centers. Once you do that for all 4 white edges, you can move on. This one is mostly intuitive, so explanation is not needed

Step 2:

White corners - You have to find the corner that matches up with the three edges / corners. So, the corner has 3 colors on it. Those three colors will be in the middle of the 3 centers that they correspond with. There are three cases - three rotations of the corner. Now, make sure the corner is on the top layer and the white center is on the bottom.So, move the corner to the top right slot of the cube, along with the corner being over the place it should be. Then, you have the three cases.

1. If the white if facing you, then (R’ F R F’)
2. If the white is facing the top of the cube, then (R U2 R’ U’) and it will switch to the third case
3. If the white is facing the R face, then (F R’ F’ R)

Step 3:

The second layer - Now, you flip the white center to the bottom of the cube. There should be a space in between the white corners and the Red, Green, Orange, and Blue centers. That is the second layer. First, you have to find one of them. The edges are just the two colors that are the centers next to them (The edge between red and blue is red and blue). Second, you move the edge onto the center that the color of the Side of the top layer is (If there is a orange and blue edge on the top layer,There will be a color on the top, and a color on the side - move it over the center of the color on the side).There are 3 cases for the correct edges.

1. If you have to move it to the right, then (U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F)
2. If you have to move it to the left, then (U’ L’ U L’ U F U’ F’)
3. If the edge is rotated in the slot, then do one of the other two and you will get one of those cases

Step 4:

Top cross - Once you finish the edges, you have to do the yellow cross. Also, the state of the corners does not matter. There are 3 cases:

1. Dot shape - it doesn’t matter what way it is, just this, (F R U R’ U’ F’).
2. L shape - make sure that the L is like this [ _| ]. Then, do the same algorithm (F R U R’ U’ F’). This should take you to case 3
3. Bar shape - Make sure that the bar is horizontal like this [ -- ]. Then, do the same algorithm (F R U R’ U’ F’)
4. Cross shape - this is the last one, but you might start with this. Just know that you don't need to do anything and you go straight to step 5

Step 5:

match cross colors - so now, you have to rotate the yellow layer (The top layer) until you have an edge in the correct spot. Then, do this algorithm

1. R U R’ U R U2 R’

Step 5.5: If you have two matching colors & two that are switched, then if the switched edges are to the back left, then do an (F) move, and if they are in the back right, then (F’). After that, do the algorithm above.

Step 6:

Match corners - Now, you have to put the yellow corners in the correct positions. There should be a corner in the right spot, but if there isn’t, do this algorithm (U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L)

Now, you have a correct corner. Make sure that the correct corner is the top right position on the front face. Then, do the same algorithm (U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L) until all the corners are in the right positions (they don't have to be rotated correctly)

Step 7:

Rotate corners - All you have to do this time is rotate the corners (Don’t tell anyone I said this, but you could try and turn the corners manually if you cant do the algorithm). You have to switch it so the yellow face is on the right side. Now, You do the same algorithm over and over again (U L U’ L’ U L U’ L’) Make sure to watch the top right corner, cause eventually, the corner will be rotated correctly. Then, you rotate the yellow face so the next incorrect corner is in the top right corner. Keep on doing this and the cube will be solved.