The beginning of Covid-19 saw me alone in my room for countless hours of the day. I would be doing one of two things: online school or playing video games. This cycle of waking up, going to school, playing video games, and going to bed was something I could not handle. It was extremely unhealthy, and I could feel myself becoming pale and sick as time went on. So, when my brother walked into my room and asked me to come fish with him, there was no way I could refuse.

My brother quickly rigged up a rod for me, and we made our way down to our local pier. As we walked across the bridge from the mainland to the pier, I could feel a comforting breeze brush against my skin, a kind that immediately told me that I had made the right decision to come.

We cast our lines in the water and waited for fish to bite. If I remember correctly, we ended up not really catching much that day which, for some people, would make them never want to fish again. That was not the case for me. Even though we didn’t catch much, I ended up riding home with a smile on my face. A smile that was not obtainable through video game victories or good endings to movies, but one that was achieved through peace. I believe that being down at the pier with only the lake water in front of me allowed my mind to be at rest.

The peacefulness of being outside, down by the water, watching your rod is something every human should do at least once in their lives. I would like to think of fishing as a type of therapy that helps ease your mind and comforts you. Fishing can be therapeutic for everyone and is a great way to escape our daily lives and step away from the constant noise surrounding us.

Fast forward to a few months later, I began fishing almost every day and evolved as a leader to help convince my friends to take a break from video games and come fishing with me. None of us could drive at this time, so biking was our mode of travel. Biking, including the walk to the perfect fishing spot, allowed for consistent physical activity that helped relieve tension and improve energy during a time when going out was uncommon.

This experience — discovering how the outdoors can be beneficial — was something I did not expect to come out of such a terrible time for most people. I got lucky and used the impact of being quarantined to discover a new hobby that may not have been obtainable without Covid. I’ve also discovered that whenever I need to free my mind or escape reality, going fishing is a great way to deliver those needs.