San Luis Obispo High School staff and students are spending hours on the computer due to distance learning. Everyone needs a break at some point! Spending moment after moment on screen can increase chances of obesity, delay social skill development, and affect your mental health. Luckily in San Luis Obispo County, we have a lot of different activities we can partake in to lower the time we spend on screens.
With distance learning, students and staff are constantly on screen participating in class and completing assignments online. People need to find a little time in their day to take a break from screens, and indulge in activities that are essential for a healthy learning environment. This could include, participating in sports, such as soccer, basketball, football, golf, dance, tennis, running, etc. There are so many sports that can get students moving and a great way to take a break from screens and get outside.
“I have been attending soccer practices, running, hiking and doing other activities to get off screens and to get outside,” said junior Kai Matson.
SLOHS attendees can learn new skills such as cooking or baking. Cooking is a great skill to pick up on and you can learn and try out new recipes at home! This is a great hobby to incorporate in your daily life and can give you a break from screens. In addition, one gets to make a tasty snack!
Skateboarding and scootering are great activities to do in your free time. SLO has a great facility, Santa Rosa Skatepark, which is a great place to learn and practice with others. There are various amounts of ramps that students can try. They can even practice at home and learn new tricks and get outside in the fresh air.
“I like skateboarding because I can go out and do it with friends and it takes my mind off school,” said junior Nolan Dorn.
Living on the coast it is easy to take advantage of the beautiful beaches around the county. These beaches include Avila, Shell, Pismo, Cayucos, Morro Bay, and so many more. From relaxing on the beach to surfing there are so many ways to stay active and have fun at these local beaches. Surfing is a fun sport that students can participate in and learn. Just laying and tanning on the beach is a great way to get some fresh air and get away from screens.
“I like to go to the beach because it makes me feel happy to be outside and off screens. I love being by the ocean and being able to surf and swim. It is also fun to hangout with my friends especially on hot days and it is really relaxing. I also enjoy just going to get food and being out in the sunshine,” said junior Natalya Beck.
In addition to the local beaches we have beautiful mountains that are great for hiking, mountain biking, and just overall exploring. Mountain biking is a great way to explore the outdoors and get out of the house and off the screens. It also is great to get outdoors and get some exercise. Some local mountains are Madonna, Cerro Loop Trail, Irish Hills, Prefumo Canyon, South Hills and so many more.
“More than mountain biking has helped me with COVID-19, COVID-19 has helped me with mountain biking because there is nothing else to do but train,” said senior Tobin Merriam.
Overall all these activities including sports, hobbies, and the outdoors are great ways to get out and have time away from screens. So ditch the glasses and get outdoors to try something new!
