We all know that “what do I do now?” feeling that comes over us when the show we’ve been binging reaches the finale. In that moment, we’re faced with a difficult decision: start another series or spend our newfound free time doing something else (aka something more productive). Usually, I cave and choose to continue my binge-fest, but occasionally I decide to invest my time elsewhere. Some things, in particular, motivate me to leave the TV shows behind and get to work on the more important things in life.
- Explore your future
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From my experience, it’s easy to spend more time than intended clicking through different Google pages looking up possible post-graduation careers. I’ve always found it fun to picture all the many ways my life could go, so when I start to invest time in researching where I might be in 5 years, I get pretty excited. I’ll look up anything from possible summer internships to apartments for rent in cities I might live in one day. Doing this will spark some much-needed motivation to get you through the semester and hopefully keep you away from clicking the very tempting “next episode” button.
- Pick up (or revisit) a hobby
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Knitting, playing guitar, crafting and photography are all things I either used to do or have wanted to start doing. My intended hobbies have often been pushed to the side to make room for things like relaxing and switching between streaming platforms. Obviously, some pastimes are easier to pick up than others, but these days you can take on new hobbies using nothing but a laptop. I know many people who start up YouTube channels or teach themselves graphic design when they find they have some time to spare.
- Spice up your space
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Simple redecorating is a great way to get out of the house without emptying your wallet. Pinterest has all the ideas you could possibly need to give your living space the extra pizazz it wants. Most hardware stores sell plants at affordable prices, and thrift stores, like Goodwill, are full of used (but cute) pots and vases. If you don’t feel like dragging yourself out of bed, pieces like tapestries and other wall art can be bought for reasonable prices on Amazon. And if you’re looking for a more time-consuming activity, making your own candles is an easy DIY option to customize your living space.
- Reorganize
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Stressed about school? Reorganize. Overwhelmed mentally? Reorganize. Bored? Reorganize. There’s truly nothing that a solid, deep clean can’t fix. I’ll admit it, organizing isn’t the most obviously fun way to spend time, so I like to set the mood by throwing on my favorite playlist and lighting a few candles. Organizing always makes me feel more relaxed and having a clean room gets me in the mindset to start crossing more items off my “to do” list.
- Yoga or meditation
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Ideally, I would get out of bed in the morning and exercise multiple times a week, but realistically, that just doesn’t happen. I’ve found that a solid compromise is doing a few minutes of yoga or meditation at home. You don’t need anything except some space to move around and music (if preferred). My Netflix binge-watching usually takes place before bed, so replacing some of that time with light stretching or deep breathing makes me feel a little better about myself.
Like everyone else, Netflix is my guilty pleasure, but sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the sitcoms, rom-coms and dramas to just do something different. Maybe instead of watching Gossip Girl for the seventh time through, I’ll finally get around to being the musician, photographer or Pinterest worthy crafter I’ve always dreamed of being.