How do you stay sane during a global pandemic? This is a question that no one ever expected to have to answer.

But members of the Castleton University community found their own unique ways to solve this problem.

Leah Reynolds, sister of a CU student, grew a garden in her bedroom.

Taylor Cormia, CU sophomore, remodeled a bedroom into an office.

Aubrey Tetlow, also a sophomore, rescued a kitten.

CU professor Linda Olson spent most of her time busy with work but found time for Yahtzee.

Reynolds said she found herself bored during the shutdown and thought what better to do than have a garden. The only problem was, she did not have an outdoor space to plant it.

“Once I realized I could successfully grow things inside, I just kept adding more plants,” Reynolds said.

She had up to 10 plants before some of them died while moving.

“I don’t recommend transporting them in the back of a truck,” she said.

When asked what the hardest part of growing plants indoors was, she said, “Dirt and carpets don’t mix.”

Cormia found herself struggling to study at the kitchen table in a family of six, so she converted her childhood bedroom into an office for her and her sister to use.

“The room was empty because my other sister moved out, so bing botta boom here we are,” Cormia said. “Things get loud in a big family. It’s nice to have a quiet place to get things done.”

Tetlow adopted an 8-month-old kitten from her local animal shelter. Tally was a great addition to her family.

“I wanted to take the next step and be responsible for something other than myself,” Tetlow said.

She was a shy little kitten who loved being pet. That is what drew Tetlow to her.

“She has given me something to do/play with during quarantine,” she said, adding that Tally has also helped her through the emotional times. “She is basically an emotional support animal.”

Olson said she did not quite get a break during the quarantine. She is the vice president of Higher Education for the American Federation of Teachers in Vermont.

“I worked most of the summer to make sure that all of the VSC colleges stayed open this year,” Olson said.

She also spent time preparing to teach online. When she had free time, she would spend it with walks in the woods, yoga, and a Yahtzee tournament with her sister.

“It’s just Yahtzee, good music, and laughter with my sister,” she said.

Sophomore Kelly Stone decided it was best to keep things normal. Her days stayed the same. She played video games to help her stay distracted. “Borderlands 3” was her go-to.

“Corona was tough to get through, but distractions helped me survive,” she said.