Masterman Students Get Creative Amidst Quarantine

She divulged that it will dive into the intricacies of how quarantine has decimated the experience economy (the sector of the economy that is based on seeking out and paying for experiences like concerts and shows). “Right now there is no experience economy, so it’s forcing the people in the music community to adapt. After quarantine, there are going to be so many collaborations it’s going to make your head spin. In a sort of sick twisted way, the silver lining of all of this is that quarantine has been the creative kick in the pants that we all needed to realize that ‘hey this is something that I love doing and I want to share that with other people.’” Planning videos has been somewhat of an escape for Isabella and helps her cope with the changes that quarantine has introduced into our lives. “When I’m feeling anxious or uncomfortable I can just go to my room and sit down and work. It’s nice to have a focus that is mine in my space. The thing about art is that you make what you have work for you and you make the world better.”

Naomi Lukov, a Masterman sophomore, has also been putting her spare time to good use by starting her own project called “Keep This Heart.” “It’s about showing appreciation to essential workers during this difficult time. They are risking their lives to provide services for us. I thought their efforts should be recognized,” said Naomi. She expresses her appreciation through handmade “thank you” cards which she then delivers to front-line workers. Each card has a heart-felt message within it, a poem, and an origami heart attached to the corner. “I was stuck at home and I obviously couldn’t go out to show my support, so I thought of ways to use my creativity,” remarked Naomi. She wears a mask and gloves and maintains proper social distance when making her deliveries. With almost 1,000 cards already delivered, Naomi is looking to grow her project and get more people involved so that more essential workers can be reached and thanked. Some of her Masterman peers have partnered with her in trying to accomplish her ultimate goal of 10,000 deliveries. Anybody who is looking to join “Keep This Heart” is welcome to message the group through their Instagram account @keepthisheart2020. As Naomi said: “anybody can write ‘thank you’ cards, which makes the project really accessible, but my hope is that this tiny act of kindness will make someone smile.” One of her most memorable deliveries was to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in which one of the departments took the origami hearts off of the cards and strung them to make a garland heart chain and hung it at the front desk. Similar to Isabella, Naomi has been using “Keep This Heart” as a constructive way to break up her time and set goals for each week. “It gives me a purpose to be productive and stay positive during this difficult time. Otherwise, I’d be sleeping all day hahaha,” joked Naomi. She feels that since quarantine has started, she has in fact had less time on her hands in comparison to a normal school week between juggling her remote schoolwork and beneficiary project. Having a packed schedule allows her to repudiate glum thoughts and curtail her FOMO.

Quarantine is introducing what feels like “a new normal” for many Philadelphia School District students. With this normalization comes a sort of pressure to fill the time that we have been given, but it is also important to realize that this is also a great opportunity to take a break. Life, especially at Masterman, is fast-paced. Everyone deserves a lazy day, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. If craving stimulation, pick up a new hobby; try something new. If it flops, so be it. There is no better time than now to exercise creativity.