7 Pandemic Pastimes Every Montrealer Tried At Least Once... And Then Abandoned

It's been one heck of a year! Stuck at home during the pandemic, Montrealers took up new hobbies to fill the time and fill the void. For most of us, they were pretty universal — as was the fact that we inevitably abandoned them two weeks later.
Whether your puzzle is still sitting half-finished on your dining room table or you've become a total jigsaw master, we salute you for trying! And for those of you who still haven't gotten around to doing any of these things... it's not too late.
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Baking Bread
It started with banana bread before everyone hopped on the sourdough train. Then we all realized we could get fresh sourdough delivered straight to our doors — without lifting a finger — from places like Miette Boulangerie.
Doing Jigsaw Puzzles
Perhaps you laid out all the pieces for a puzzle of the Montreal skyline or Montreal Canadiens Arena, but you got stuck on a piece and never went back. Or maybe you're on your 30th puzzle by now. Either way, the good old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle made a huge comeback.
Virtual Pub Trivia
Unable to attend actual pubs, many Montrealers have turned to virtual pub trivia nights hosted by local quizmasters like Quiz Master Brianand Pam Demic.
Learning An Instrument
According to CTV News, guitar sales surged worldwide throughout the pandemic — including in Montreal. How's your rendition of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" coming along? Or that Deep Purple "Smoke On the Water" riff?
Joining TikTok Challenges
From the "Flip the Switch" challenge to the "Blinding Lights" challenge on TikTok, Montrealers got in on the action. We also gave TikTok local flair with videos ranking deadly icicles, describing how we feel about Quebec's curfew — and even one of a man sending the premier a large dildo.
TikTok challenges and trends don't last long, but they also seem to be never-ending.
Tie-Dyeing Clothes
With nothing to do but lounge, tie-dyed loungewear became the fashion trend of the season! And many Montrealers tried tie-dyeing clothing themselves.
Learning A language
Are you fluent in Spanish or Mandarin yet? If you even still have the Duolingo app on your phone, we salute you! Respect.