As students are stuck at home practicing good social distancing skills amid the coronavirus outbreak, they will soon run out of things to do. While our phones can certainly keep us entertained for short periods of time, we will all inevitably become overcome by boredom. Instead of blankly staring at the ceiling or counting the number of squirrels in your yard, here are some alternative things to do.
Check out some new music
While doing schoolwork at home, many students prefer to listen to some music. Rapper Lil Uzi Vert recently dropped two albums, “Eternal Atake” and “Luv vs. The World 2.” Notable songs are Myron, Bean (Kobe) and Baby Pluto. Other popular artists like Tame Impala, Don Toliver, Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Baby also have new albums. Just don’t listen during your virtual class!
Cook
Eventually everyone at our school will grow up – yes, it’s true – which means they will have to take care of themselves. However, the vast majority of teenagers cannot cook. As all athletics and activities are cancelled, you should have plenty of time after completing schoolwork to provide a meal for your family. It will be good practice for the future, as long as no one is inadvertently poisoned. Remember: try not to burn down the house, try not to get yelled at by your mom, try not to hurt yourself, try to make something better than instant-ramen and most importantly, try to have fun!
Watch some movies or get into a new show
Not going out usually means one thing — Netflix. Streaming platforms are prepping for the increased viewers with great new releases, which are definitely worth a watch. Classics like The Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, Space Jam and more were recently added to Netflix, while other platforms also have similar content. Personally, I have started watching the Netflix original show, You. There are popular shows that are easy to binge on Hulu, like Family Guy, The Bachelor and South Park, while Netflix has Breaking Bad and HBO has Game of Thrones — the best TV show ever. This list, compiled by The Ringer, goes over every hot new show or movie across every service.
Read
If your home is like mine, it has at least one bookshelf ensconced in a dark corner, chock-full of classic books that your dad can ramble on about for hours. For once, pick one of those up and try reading it. Also, your dad talking about a specific book could take up an entire day; you have plenty of time to waste, so might as well embrace the conversation.
Act on an ambitious goal
Everyone has had deep thoughts late into the night where they formulate goals and aspirations in their head, even if it sounds like something you would never do. Over this break, finally decide to act on one of these endeavors. It could be something like working out once a day, reorganizing a closet or something that you could actually have fun doing. Chase your ambitious dreams, like consecutively watching every single Avenger movie in correct order, while you have the time.
Plan an activity for when you’re free
Once life returns to some form of normalcy and we will no longer have to social distance ourselves, the world can be your oyster. Since you can’t actually go on an adventure right now, just plan a future one. Don’t make a concrete plan, however, as it is unclear when this will all end. Some fun ideas include stargazing, hiking or finding a secret fishing or swimming spot. Remember, it’s getting warm, even if you’re not outside to feel it.
Write a journal
A couple years from now, these couple of weeks will be looked back upon as absolute craziness. In order to remember your own experiences during this wild period, write journal entries about the changes in your life and how the outbreak is impacting your world. It’s good to get your thoughts down on paper, and it will certainly be a fascinating read later in life.
Wash your hands and stay home
Yes, washing your hands and practicing proper social distancing should probably be at the top of the list. Staying safe and healthy during this dangerous outbreak needs to be the main concern of students at home, so remember to constantly wash your hands thoroughly and stay away from non-family members to protect yourself and others. While it may get boring, remember that the only way to flatten the curve is to practice safe social distancing.
All of these ideas are ways to spend some of your free time. But remember that, while we are not on school property, we are still expected to complete work online and learn. Make school a priority, and then spend time with your family, even if they’re being annoying.
