Anne Frank did not have an abundance of free time in the years before moving into the annex.  She spent much of her time in school and studying.  When she was not doing school related things, Anne loved to spend time with her friends. In the wintertime, they enjoyed going ice skating.  She also liked dancing and riding her bike.  Anne had a fascination with the British royal family and Hollywood movie stars.  Despite being extroverted, Anne also found pleasure in more solitary activities, such as reading and writing.

When Anne Frank and her family were forced to move into the annex to save their lives, she had to stop attending school.  Anne lived in the hidden apartment with her parents, sister, another family, and a single older man.  She was no longer surrounded by friends.  School did not take up much of her time anymore.  Now she had an abundance of time, but was faced with loneliness.  Despite her sudden solitude, Anne continued to enjoy reading and writing.  She wrote almost daily in her diary, which she called Kitty.  Anne collected photos of Hollywood movie stars, which she hung up on the wall.  She listened to news on the radio to hear about the two royal princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret.  

In her diary, Anne wrote about longing to go outside and enjoy the things she used to.  It was difficult for her to stay inside all of the time.  It made her feel older than she actually was:

"I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I'm free, and yet I can't let it show."