The second online issue of Ball Bearings focuses on the color blue.
I’m sure by now, you’ve heard at least one person tell you they’ve got ‘the quarantine blues.’ It’s now become a common expression. Being in lockdown so long has led to many people feeling sad, unmotivated, and bored.
I used to be a terrible cook. I vividly remember burning Rice A Roni with my sister, accidentally adding tablespoons of salt instead of teaspoons to frittata, attempting to decorate a cake with just frosting dye, not knowing it wasn’t icing, and watching as our watery lettering slid around the surface of the cake.
And hey, I’m still pretty terrible, but I’ll say one thing: to combat my quarantine blues, I decided to get into baking.
I don’t know what spawned this sudden need to pick up an electric mixer and a sack of flour, but suddenly all I wanted to do was try out new cookie recipes.
I made chocolate chip cookies out of chickpeas, and despite what you may be picturing, they weren’t disgusting at all. I made half-dipped chocolate pretzel cookies. I made cookies out of Nutella, gingerbread, pumpkin pie in a can.
Every week, I tried something new. And whereas at the start of quarantine, my creations were met with fear and extreme scrutiny from my family, they now look forward to seeing what I’ll make next.
Blue is the color of sadness and the blues, yes, but it’s also the color of creativity. In this issue, we explore what kinds of creative hobbies students have developed during lockdown. (title here)
Blue is also the color of contemplation. We interview philosophy majors to see how they’re using their field of study to find creative solutions to our world’s problems. (title here)
And blue is also associated with calm. We dive into how activities like meditation can have benefits in an individual’s life. (title here) We also explore Indiana’s changing religious landscape and increase in Buddhist temples. (title here)
While quarantine rages on, it’s nice to focus on creativity and calm every once in a while. I’m still in pursuit of the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, and honestly, I hope I don’t find it until quarantine is over.
