As the spring semester winds down and finals approach, students find themselves preparing at home and many are still adjusting to the new ways of online learning.

But there are those who are still trying to get the most out of the situation presented by Covid-19.

For senior Connor Worthington, this means staying in touch with friends and learning new skills.

“I’ve been keeping in touch with friends through texting and FaceTiming,” he said. “I’ve also been cooking more, which is kind of a new skill for me that I’m learning which keeps me busy.”

Worthington is also making time to help members of his family.

“I’ve been doing grocery shopping for my grandma and doing her yard work,” he said.

While this situation is less than ideal, he said that he has been doing his best to stay in a routine. “I’ve been planning out my days and devoting more time to things I didn’t have as much time for before the pandemic,” he said. “Trying to stay as busy as possible.”

Freshman Adam Murray has been doing his best to stay positive while balancing schoolwork with this new way of life, and he said comedy is helping.

“I try and do one productive thing per day that isn’t school. I’ve been talking to friends and trying to make everyone laugh or just take their minds off it,” he said. “If I catch myself complaining when it isn’t important, I try and stop myself.”

While some are texting and using FaceTime to stay in touch with their friends, there are others who are finding creative ways to stay connected.

Junior Adrianna Maher is the brains behind a new, fun way for her and her friends to stay connected.

“I have a weekly zoom party with some friends from Castleton, so it’s nice to check in with them,” she said.

Maher was studying abroad in Morocco when the pandemic came to be and struggled to get home at first.

“A few hours after our program got suspended Morocco imposed a travel ban,” she said.

After conversations with the embassy there she was able to find a flight back home.

Maher has been able to find time to spend with her family as well. She has been baking with her mom and journaling with her sisters.

But she has still found it hard to stay present during this pandemic.

“Our present is scary and unprecedented, but it’s good to check in with yourself,” she said. “I’ve found it’s been making things easier.”

Maher has also been doing yoga on occasion.

“I’m trying to step it up,” she said.

While some students have been making time to learn new skills and stay in touch with friends, junior Mara Bailey has been taking the opportunity to be innovative.

“I’m painting a lot. I’m painting my dresser, I tie-dyed my curtains. Lots of artsy stuff,” she said with a laugh.

But it isn’t about just being creative for Bailey, she is also using her talents to raise money.

“I have my Redbubble page that I consistently make designs for that benefits Feeding America,” she said.

Redbubble is a global online marketplace where independent artists are able to sell their work as print-on pieces. They can be printed onto clothing, buttons and coffee mugs among other things.

Bailey wanted to make a design that would donate either her percentage or all of the earnings.

But she found herself worrying about how her family was going to survive this crisis because of her parents being on paid leave or working from home.

“I just had a breakdown, and then I remembered, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s kids in my town who rely on the public-school system to get a meal every day,’” she said.

She has raised about $100 up to this point for charity through her Redbubble designs. If you would like to check out her designs for yourself you can find her on Facebook, which is

where she posts all of her designs from Redbubble.

“I’m getting my good creative outlet and at the same time it’s donating to local food banks and people that need that kind of support,” Bailey said.