When we’re bored, it’s typical for us to turn to the easiest and most accessible thing in our lives: our phones. We switch back and forth between Instagram (main and spam accounts), Twitter, Snapchat, etc., and end up spending hours out of the day looking at a phone screen. Of course it’s impossible for our generation to completely stop using social media at this point, even I can’t promise to do that. But, I wanted to make a list of other things to do besides aimlessly scrolling and consuming hundreds of other people’s lives to avoid focusing on our own.
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Go to the Gym and Break a Sweat
I know not all of us are fond of excessive physical activity, but it always feels good to put your boredom to good use. Spelman’s Wellness Center is actually the best gyms I’ve ever been, and I suggest that everybody utilize it. I usually go and stretch, practice some yoga, run on the treadmill. The bicycling machine even has virtual reality, I was literally biking through the streets of Paris, the last time I was there.
2. Read a Book
I absolutely love a good read. Reading helps you disconnect from reality and place yourself in a different world for a little while, which can be a form a self-care as well. I like to read romantic novels, sci-fi novels, and self-help poetry books.
3. Take Yourself On a Date
Take yourself out! Go to the movies by yourself, take yourself out to dinner, go get your nails done, go to a nearby park and people watch. There’s so many cool things in Atlanta that I haven’t experienced yet and I learned that taking yourself out on a date is a great way to get off campus as well as have some alone time. Constantly being in a school environment can get super overwhelming.
4. Find a Good Netflix Movie
There’s so many movies on Netflix that we have absolutely no idea about, like hidden gems. Take some time out and find a movie that peaks your interest when you read the description. A really good Netflix movie that not many people know about is What Happened to Monday.
5. Write Positive Affirmations
If you’re sitting and doing absolutely nothing, you’re done with work for the day, and don’t really feel like leaving your room, get a pencil and a notebook and write some affirmations down for yourself. Put your phone to the side and use that energy to be intentional instead of wasteful. You’ll be surprised how your mood and motivation increases when you’re saying all the things you love about yourself and want for yourself in the future!