“Quick, quick, slow, slow,” my husband said as I was trying to focus. We frequently stepped on each other’s feet. Both of us were being rhythmically(有节奏地)challenged, and we figured a series of lessons might help us look somewhat skilled on the dancing floor. However, it didn’t.

It didn’t matter that the lessons didn’t pay off. Our learning something new together gave us a string of good memories, such as taking a Thai cooking class on a cold Chicago night and learning how to make a classic cocktails in a common bar. These experiences are my best memories from the past 10 years. We always have such a great time when we’re trying something new together. It seems to have strengthened our relationship, and makes me feel like we have a closer connection.

It turns out my theory as such is backed by research. One study shows that learning new things with your spouse(配偶), friends, or partners, can strengthen your connection or friendship. But how exactly does this work? The key is weakness. “Learning new things together strengthens connection because it is at those moments that we can show our weakness to one another,” says Dr. Hisla Bates. “When we are learning a new task, misfortunes and failures are sure to happen. In those moments when we fail, the other party can be there in favor of us. We can Work together to find a solution, and working together helps deepen the connection.”

The benefits gained from learning new things with your partner can come from activities as small as hiking, trying a new diet, going boating in the local lake or taking a fitness class together. You don’t have to bungee jump or skydive to grow closer. Try selecting activities that both partners are unfamiliar with, as this will ensure you’re on the same page.

Trying to learn something new together once a month will benefit you and your spouse or friends . Overall, some of my best memories with my husband are the moments when we are learning something new together.

Teens and their teachers know well that early-morning classes can be tiring. Doctors now have a solution: for better teen health, push the sleep button on school start times. Janet Croft, who studies teens and sleep at the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention(CDC)in Atlanta high schools, says, “Most teens are actually brain dead when they go to these early classes. Too many students start their day as walking zombies(僵尸).”

One report stresses the importance of sleep for teens and describes the dangers from not getting enough sleep. Studies in the past have shown over and over that teens lacking sleep face higher risks of being overweight and being frustrated.

Many teens get too little sleep because they attend middle and high schools that start earlier than 8:30 am. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP),those early start times throw off a student’s internal body rhythm, called the circadian clock(生物钟).Too little sleep disturbs that clock and causes problems.

The study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that nearly 6 in every 10 middle school students and 9 in 10 high school students are sleeping too little. Yet many parents aren’t aware of this. In the same study,7 of every 10 parents said they believed their kids did sleep enough. That study shows too many parents are unaware of the science on teen-sleep needs, says Owens.

Kyla Wahlstrom, a former teacher, who has spent a lot of time with teens lacking sleep, says: “An incredible number of students are either sleeping at their desks or sitting there like a lump, not asking questions or raising their hands.”

Getting enough sleep can help a teen on the inside, too. Several studies have shown that children and teenagers who don’t sleep enough are more likely to become obese, or extremely overweight. Teens lacking sleep also are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and mood disorders. It’s time to recognize how important sleep is, particularly to teenagers.

Picture a young Chinese woman in a field, dressed in traditional hemp (麻布) clothing, as she picks flowers to create makeup for her cheeks. Imagine the same person making a bamboo sofa, cooking soy sauce and cooking up all sorts of delicious dishes.

It may sound hard to believe, but such a person exists in modern China, and her name is Li Ziqi. On Dec 14, she won Person of the Year in the category of cultural influence awarded by China Newsweek.

With a fan base of more than 21 million people on Sina Weibo and 7 million flowers on video-sharing site YouTube, Li has made a name for herself in a series of videos that show off a pre-industrial Chinese way of life in rural Sichuan province. “I want to do my part to let more people know about Chinese culture,” the bogger told China.org.cn. “Much of the popularity of my videos owes to the attraction of Chinese culture.”

Li sems to be a master of all kinds of sills—cooking, painting, designing and farming. She raises silkworms to sew a quilt for her grandmother and grows plants. Many videos show her picking seasonal ingredients from her own garden and cooking them up with her wood-fired work. A warm bowl of soup for the winter, a lighter plate of noodles for the summer, Li follows the seasons in her cooking, as China’s traditional 24 solar terms also do, and makes food suitable for the particular climate.

“She told the stories of China’s culture and that of China.” the official Sina Weibo account of China Central Television noted. The success of Li Ziqi also comes from her “passion for life, for her home and for her culture”. Indeed, Li’s simple pleasures amaze people living in the hustle and bustle of big cities. “She leads a life that many dream of, but don’t dare to give up their current life in exchange for,” iFeng.com wrote. Her handmade lifestyle is a fantasy for many. “In today’s society, many feel stressed,” she told the South China Morning Post. “When they watch my videos at the end of a busy day, I want them to relax and experience something nice, to take away some of their anxiety and stress.”

Since the novel corona-virus (新冠病毒) outbreak, many people have been forced to stay at home for long periods of time to protect themselves from the virus. This has given people more free time to learn new skills and find different ways to entertain themselves.

Some of these activities include things like singing, learning to cook and ordering fresh food online. All of these things can be done in the palm of your hand with mobile apps.

Before, young people would go outside and meet friends at karaoke bars (卡拉OK酒吧). Now, friends can meet and sing on the mobile karaoke app Changba. “The Changba app not only gives me the chance to share my songs with friends, but also lets me sing whatever I like at home.” said an app user.

Some people have also taken up cooking as a new hobby to pass the time. You don’t need to attend culinary (烹饪的) school, thanks to apps like Xiachufang and Ecook, which make it easier for those who want to learn how to cook. These apps provide a platform for users to look up different recipes (菜谱) and to share their own recipes with others. “Using this app, I have learned many new and healthy dishes which help me eat better.” an app user commented on the app’s website.

To help people avoid crowded places like grocery stores, apps that deliver (递送) goods right to your door have also become very popular. “It is obvious that the epidemic (疫情) has attracted new groups of consumers (消费者), such as elderly people, who originally didn’t belong to our target user group.” Zhang Yi, an analyst from the market research company, said.

Indeed, during this special time, these apps have opened up a whole new world of opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.