Students hang out in varying places in their free time. Activities include the mall, spending time with friends and being outside. 

Freshman Addyson Barr enjoys spending time with her friends and taking walks near her home. She usually walks alone because it helps her clear her head. 

“I started doing these things because it puts me in a better mood, and I get social interaction. It helps me feel better mentally and physically,” Barr said. 

Barr’s favorite place to walk is the Penn State Altoona campus because it’s quiet and has a nice track, according to her. She typically goes walking two or three times a week. 

“I like walking because it makes me feel better when it comes to physical achievement and mental achievement,” Barr said. 

Barr hangs out with her friends at their houses on the weekends. 

“Hanging out with my friends makes me happy, and I enjoy being in their presence. When we hangout, we don’t really do anything specific, it’s just getting to spend time with each other that counts,” Barr said. 

COVID-19 limited Barr’s social interaction due to her not being able to be around anyone or go anywhere. 

“It affected me mentally because it made me feel very isolated and caused a new normal for me. It was hard to get used to, and I didn’t really want to get used to it,” Barr said. 

Barr hopes to get a job in the near future, as she wants to be able to make her own money to put towards college expenses and a car. 

“I have just been very busy with school and extracurricular activities. I haven’t gotten around to applying,” Barr said. 

Sophomore Talen Turiano is currently involved in two musicals. His first musical for school was Frozen Jr. in seventh grade. 

“My grandma was the one who really got me involved in acting. I have been involved in drama ever since I was in kindergarten, and I still love it as much as I did when I started,” Turiano said.

Turiano is in the productions of “42nd Street” and “In Jesus’ Name.”

“I enjoy drama because when you’re on stage acting, you can be anyone you want to be. You don’t have to worry about what other people say about you because you are taking on the identity of your character,” Turiano said.

Being online for almost two years impacted Turiano’s ability to perform. 

“We were not able to be in school, so I couldn’t do drama with my friends. I love drama so it was hard [to not be in school] and made life a little boring,” Turiano said. 

Turiano recently became employed at Cook’s Kitchen as a waiter. 

“I thought it was time for me to get a job, and now I work two to three times a week. Being involved in multiple things in and outside of school is sometimes difficult, but I manage it well,” Turiano said. 

Junior Leiya Resig spends her free time hanging out with friends and shopping. Her favorite stores to go shopping at include Kohls, American Eagle, Hollister and Target.

“We usually go shopping first, and afterwards we go to eat at either Applebees or Chipotle. After we eat dinner, we get Sweet Frog, if we’re feeling up to it,” Resig said. 

Resig started going out with her friends more after she got her driver’s license. She primarily hangs out with sophomore Rylie Keagy and sophomore Alexis Batisti.

“I’ve known them all since we were younger, so we grew up together and we have the same interests. Whenever I want to make plans, they’re always my go to people,” Resig said. 

Resig’s mom used to hang out at the Logan Valley Mall, and she also used to be employed there. Although Resig likes shopping, she doesn’t typically spend too much time at the mall. 

“The mall’s pretty run down, so there aren’t as many good stores as there were before, but I still go from time to time. I enjoy shopping so the mall is a good way to get a variety of things at one place,” Resig said.