The Coronavirus has turned into a pandemic, and millions of people have been advised to practice social distancing and self-quarantine in their homes. With people going into a mass panic around the country and globe, it’s important to remain as calm as you possibly can. Keeping yourself calm in a sea of panic can make this situation just a tad bit better. All this free time while you’re stuck in the house can be quite boring, however, so here are a few things that you can do to keep yourself occupied.
1. Give Your Room a Makeover
You’ll feel refreshed after giving the space that you’re staying in for a few weeks a makeover. I suggest moving around some furniture and changing some pieces out. Since we are under quarantine and the stores are all closed, this is a time to abuse the power of Amazon Prime.
If you can’t get any new pieces to revamp your room, then just moving furniture around could make a big difference. You might find more space in your room after you rearrange the furniture, which will give you space to finally get some exercise while you’re in this quarantine.
2. Learn a New Hobby
Hobbies are meant to bring you happiness as well as fill up your time. A hobby can be as simple as cloud gazing and as complex as learning how to play a new instrument. Some fun hobbies are drawing, singing and baking.
The beauty of a hobby is that it can be done at your own pace, and you can be as serious or laidback as you want to be with your work. If you’re one of the people now out of work, you might even be able to make a commission with a hobby like drawing.
3. Read a Good Book
Reading a book, or just reading in general, is very stimulating for the brain, especially in a time where we all may feel stagnant and unproductive. Not only is reading good for the brain, but it can provide a nice escape from the current reality that we’re living in. Fantasy and science-fiction books create entire worlds for readers to escape to when they need a vacation from what’s happening around them.
If you decide not to read a book, you can read through a few articles that are posted on the internet, including Study Breaks. An article that I recommend is “The Do’s and Don’ts of Preparing to Live on Your Own.” It’s an easy read that gives great advice to young adults who might be thinking of living on their own.
4. Have a Netflix Party With Your Friends
Netflix Party is a new Google Chrome extension that’s available on laptops and desktop computers. This application allows you to watch a show or movie on Netflix and have a chatroom with your friends. It’s the perfect way to keep in touch while catching up on new shows.
Recently, Netflix added a feature where they list the top 10 shows that are most popular in the country you’re in. This feature gives you an opportunity to watch new shows with your friends while remaining socially distant.
5. Watch a Whole Movie Series
Of course, a great example is all of the Harry Potter and Marvel Universe movies. Sitting in your living room for a few hours in order to binge-watch dozens of movies may not be the most productive thing you could do, but it’s fun.
Pop some popcorn and enjoy as you put your feet up and turn on a movie that you normally wouldn’t have the chance to watch.
6. Exercise
As of now, summer isn’t canceled, so you should try and prepare your body for the warmer months. Make sure you don’t eat all of the food you have stocked up, and instead, take all of this free time to get your body in shape, or simply just work on yourself.
The goal of exercising isn’t necessarily to lose weight, but to give yourself a healthy physique. Being in quarantine should give you the chance to surprise people and give yourself a makeover.
7. Video Chat With Your Friends
FaceTime and Skype can bring people together when there is a substantial distance between them. While it’s not the same as being together in person, you can still hear and see your college friends who traveled back home.
Since some colleges have moved to distance learning, many students have returned home and can’t see the people that they care about. Don’t let this distance separate you from your friends; pick up the phone and give them a call.
8. Get a Head Start on Spring Cleaning
Being locked up in quarantine can leave you a little bored, so you might as well get a head start on this year’s spring cleaning. If you managed to grab a can of Lysol before all of the chaos in the stores began, clean up your house.
Dust has a tendency to settle when things are left for a long period of time. If you are home from college, it’s a good idea to clean up the area around you and make sure there are no lingering germs around your quarantine zone.
9. Watch Documentaries and Explore New Philosophies
Documentaries and real-life stories on streaming platforms can give you a new outlook on different topics and how other people live. I just watched a Netflix documentary called “Minimalism,” where two men explain how the concept of minimalism changed their lives. Take this free time in quarantine to educate yourself and explore different philosophies that you’ve never heard of before.
10. Work on What’s Most Important to You
This last tip can apply to anything you think is a value in your life. Oftentimes, people can get swept up into the hardworking grind of reality, and they forget to focus on what’s most important to them. If you’re thinking that there’s nothing important to you, take this time to figure it out.
I’m personally taking all of this free time and putting it into my writing, which is very important to me. If you believe not one thing is important, then take care of yourself during this time of crisis.
