This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.
As a generation that’s extremely online, it can be hard to imagine that we’d ever find ourselves looking for even more stimulation, but even so, coming up with things to do when you’re bored (that aren’t just endlessly scrolling on your phone) can be agonizing. What if you’re stuck at home and can’t go out? Or you want to do something productive, but are struggling to pick out your next project? Don’t worry: We’ve come up with a comprehensive list of things to do when you’re bored, whether you’re with a friend, at school, or are looking for a way to unwind alone at night.
These ideas are great for the creative types who love to DIY and live on Pinterest, the busy bees who want to knock something off their to-do list, and the couch potatoes who just want to kick back and relax. The list includes games, art projects, classes, and just about any activity you could possibly think of — needless to say, by the time you finish reading this, you might never be bored again. You’re welcome; you can save this list for future reference the next time you’re itching for an activity.
The best part? Some of these activities can even help you boost your resume and advance your career, while others are more relaxing and can help you relieve college stress. And of course, some of these are just plain silly fun, because we don’t need to be productive all the time. Simply taking a few moments to write, meditate, or reflect can be enough to fill your empty schedule and soothe your mind.
Heard enough? Read on for the best things to do when you’re bored.
What to do when you’re bored at home
- Give yourself a manicure or pedicure. Try out some funky nail art that you can show off later.
- Experiment with a new hairstyle. You can add some accessories, play around with different braids, grab the scissors and sample the wolf cut, or even dye your hair wine-red. Anything is possible!
- Do yoga. Check out YouTube for tutorials, and even consider incorporating yoga into your everyday routine, because it can help with your mental health.
- Take a nap. This is an age-old classic — just make sure not to nap too long, or you’ll be unable to sleep later at night.
- Listen to music. Put on songs you loved since childhood, sad songs that remind you of your ex, or even a sex playlist; whatever you’re in the mood for.
- Stretch. This will only take up a couple of minutes, but it can make you feel way better — stretching can help improve your posture, so you’ll be thanking yourself for doing this later.
- Watch Netflix. There’s always something to keep you entertained for a few hours or an entire season, whether that’s the latest true crime adaptation or the huge selection of Netflix Christmas movies.
- Meditate. There are benefits of mindfulness and meditation that can make this a great activity for you, which can include helping you cope with anxiety.
- Write a letter to your future self. Tell them all about what you’re manifesting for them and reflect on where you think you’ll be years from now.
- Cuddle with a pet or S.O. Listen, sometimes all you need is a really good hug to feel better.
- Test out new recipes. You can choose a family recipe that’s been passed down to you, or a viral TikTok recipe, like Emily Mariko’s salmon rice.
- Find a new podcast to listen to. These run the gamut from science to politics to TV rewatch podcasts, so there’s something for everyone.
- Reach out to a friend or relative you haven’t seen in a while. Relationships take effort, and checking in with your loved ones can go a long way.
- Look to adopt a pet (even just a fish). See if you have enough space in your home for a new friend, look into what the responsibilities of pet care are, and if you think you’re ready, start brainstorming some names.
- Read a magazine. The print teen magazine may be a dying art form, but it’s a much more exciting experience than doomscrolling on social media.
- Make a cocktail. If you want to learn more about mixology, you can choose from the list of cocktails everyone should know, but you can also get adventurous by testing out a recipe for a lesser-known cocktail.
Ideas for when you’re bored with a friend
- Look through old photos and videos. You can laugh about your awkward middle school phases together and relive old memories while making new ones.
- Bake some desserts. Whether you whip up a sweet treat together or have your own kitchen bake-off, the result will be delicious either way.
- Go watch a sunset or sunrise. You probably don’t want to wake up early, but sunrises provide a beautiful moment of calm — and a fantastic photo opp.
- Go for a hike somewhere you have not been. The climb itself might be grueling, but once you reach the top, you’ll all feel accomplished, and you’ll have a great view to reward yourselves with.
- Try out a new restaurant. You can go just with your friend, get a whole group together, or even take your parents along to the restaurant, too. Nothing brings people together like good food.
- Go to a new coffee shop. Buying iced coffee is not a waste of money; it‘s a matter of good taste. If you’re lucky, you and your friend will have found your new ideal hangout spot.
- Visit a museum. Whether you’re into art, science, or history, a museum can take up a full day and leave you with tons of new insight and discussion topics to dive into with your friend. Try somewhere local, or even on your college campus, if you go to a school that has its own galleries.
- Plan a party. Is there anything more fun than a party? Pick a wacky party theme with your friend, plan out who you’re sending invites to, and start making a list of things you need to buy. Then, you’ll be all set for the big day without stress.
- Try learning a new language. Not only can learning a new language help your career prospects, but it’s also double the fun when you learn it with a friend and have someone to practice with.
- Make a movie. Whether you write a super cliche rom-com plot or make a documentary about your life and friendship, making a small film crew out of your friend group will leave you with a video you’ll love rewatching as a memory years later.
- Plan a last-minute road trip. Pick a nearby destination for a day trip, grab some snacks, and hit the road — with your cameras, of course.
- Join an intramural or recreation sports team. This won’t just cure your boredom as a one-off solution; instead, you’ll have something regularly on your calendar to look forward to. If you’re nervous about joining a team, recruit a friend to do it with you.
- Stage a photoshoot. Grab your old digital Kodak camera, your cutest outfits, and a few friends. Take pics in your backyard, at the beach, or anywhere you like. You can do this photoshoot for Instagram, or take more professional headshots for LinkedIn.
- Drive somewhere you’ve never been. Pick a cool place, like a restaurant, town, or landmark, with your friend and hit the road together; it’s much more fun (and safer) than going alone.
- Watch a favorite movie or a movie you haven’t seen in a while. Turn it into a slumber party, and maybe even make it a double or triple feature, if there’s enough movies you want to watch.
- Recruit some friends and play a game. Depending on your friends’ interests, this could be anything from soccer to Trivial Pursuit. Maybe even pick a cool prize for the winner(s) to up the stakes.
- Go to the movies. Whether you’re watching an epic sci-fi film like Dune, a gritty biopic, or some forgettable low-budget comedy, it’s really being there with your friend that will make the experience super fun. You get the popcorn, they’ll get the tickets!
- Go mini-golfing. It’s the most fun competition without any real stakes, and it’ll have you feeling nostalgic for when you went mini-golfing as a kid.
- Make a bucket list. Where do you and your friends want to travel to before you die? What are your ultimate life goals? Write it all down, and make a pact to help each other see all of them come to fruition.
- Take some selfies. Find the best lighting, grab your best friend, and take some cute pics you can post later or use as a lockscreen.
- Go bowling. There’s nothing that brings back childhood nostalgia quite like the fun of a bowling alley.
- Go to a sports game or big event. Cheering on your favorite team with your friend will keep you energetic and entertained. If they win, you can celebrate after with dinner or ice cream.
Things to do when bored on a computer
- Look for a new favorite quote or saying. This can be a quote for your next Instagram caption, a song lyric that would’ve made a great AIM Away message, or a powerful saying that will influence how you approach hard times.
- Start a blog. You can write about all your hot takes on pop culture, your own life, or anything else you desire. (Or, hey — you could write for Her Campus!)
- Create your own website. This is perfect for creating a digital portfolio of your work that you can share with employers.
- Look for your first (or next) tattoo design. Check tattoo artists’ Instagrams or look at what tattoos celebrities have for inspiration.
- Make an effort to learn something new. TED Talks, podcasts, even talking to a friend who knows something you don’t — there’s tons of ways you can easily gain knowledge.
- Try and make friends with a stranger. Of course, don’t use a sketchy site like Omegle, but maybe just message that girl in your class you’ve always wanted to talk to but never did. Ta-da! You just made a new friend, and now you have someone else to do things with you so you won’t be bored.
- Watch a how-to YouTube video. You don’t even have to be doing the thing that’s in the video — after all, don’t we all watch makeup tutorials but rarely ever try them on our own?
- Update your resume. Whether you’ve worked a ton or haven’t even left your couch, an up-to-date resume is sure to make your job search easy, and impress potential employers.
- Research dream careers. Hint: It may not be a 9-to-5.
- Look for a place to volunteer. Pick a cause you care about, and help out your local community. It’s both a boredom killer and a resume booster.
- Clean up your emails. Getting rid of spam emails can actually help you be more sustainable, so this is a win for both your boredom and the environment.
- Get ahead on schoolwork or future projects. You probably want to avoid falling behind and needing to ask for an extension on your assignments, so if you’re doing nothing else, why not homework? (We know, it’s not the most fun you’ll ever have, but it’ll help you in the long run.)
- Fine-tune your LinkedIn profile. It might be time for a total LinkedIn rebrand; just don’t get too sucked into toxic LinkedIn culture.
- Read up on current events. From climate change to laws around women’s rights, being informed on what’s going on in the world will help you understand your surroundings better and even motivate you to take action against hate.
- Scroll through Pinterest. You can make vision boards, find new recipes, and even learn about style trends that originated on Pinterest, like pearlcore or dopamine dressing.
- Online shop. Everything is online these days, so you can browse for anything from Valentine’s Day candles to dorm room wall decor to BookTok’s latest recommendations without leaving your bed.
- Watch YouTube videos. Whether they’re clips from TV shows, celebrity interviews, or cute animal videos, the YouTube rabbit hole will have your back if no one else does.
- Do a group Zoom with your friends and family. Turn it into a virtual trivia or game night, or let it be an informal chat to catch up on each other’s lives.
- Get lost on Tumblr. The 2014 Tumblr girl revival means it’s time once again to click on that little blue app that’s been dormant in your phone, and surrender to the eternal scroll through GIFs, memes, and aesthetic screenshots.
- Catch up on celebrity gossip. Sure, there’s nothing super life-changing about knowing which celebrities will break up or who just announced a pregnancy, but you have to admit it passes the time.
Creative ways to cure boredom
- Doodle, color, or draw on some paper. You can freehand it if you like, or trace another image and then color it in.
- Write a poem. Is the world ready for your angsty Instagram poetry phase? Maybe not. But don’t let that stop you — write down how you’re feeling, and challenge yourself to turn it into a shortform piece.
- Write a book or story. When you’re done, keep it for yourself, send it to a friend, or even try to make your big break on a site like Wattpad.
- Start a DIY project. Sewing your own clothes? Building a new piece of furniture? The possibilities are endless.
- Start an Instagram page for your pet. Animal lovers, this one’s for you. You probably already have a thousand photos in your camera roll, so start thinking up funny captions.
- Write love notes for your S.O. If you’re coupled up, this is a sweet way to check in with them and remind them that you love them. You can even decorate your notes with stickers or cute doodles, and ask them to write you one so you can make it a fun exchange.
- Tie-dye clothes or bedsheets. Bring a little color into your life by learning how to tie-dye your clothes (make sure you have gloves on hand!).
- Do something crafty. Papier-mache? Paint by numbers? An adult coloring book? Let your inner artist thrive by gathering some cheap art supplies and going to town.
- Make a collage. You can cut out magazine clippings, print photos, write things on pieces of scrap paper, and put them all together in one place. After your cathartic collaging, you may end up with a beautiful piece of art to hang on your wall.
- Plan your dream wedding. We know you already have that Pinterest board started…
- Go to a play or musical. You can support local theater, transport yourself to another world, and maybe even get inspired to sing or dance yourself.
- Sing and dance to your favorite songs. Speaking of singing and dancing, a one-person party in your room is a great way to cure boredom. After all, you’re not fighting with anyone for the aux.
Relaxing things to do when you’re bored alone at night
- Take a bubble bath. It might be a little hard to recreate the bath bomb ambience in your dorm shower if you don’t actually have a bathtub, but there are ways around this.
- Read a book. It doesn’t have to be something dense; you can even try out something you saw on SmutTok, to help you unwind.
- Try out a new face mask or beauty product. Find the best beauty products to take home with you and have an at-home spa day.
- Write in a journal. Even beginners can enjoy journaling, since there’s so many different ways to do it, whether you use guided prompts or just brain dump all your thoughts.
- Eat snacks in bed. Just don’t let any crumbs stay in your sheets; you’ll thank yourself later.
- Drink tea. Not only is it soothing, but tea can also work as a sleep remedy.
- Create a self-love list. This could be a list of self-love affirmations you repeat every day, or something you just write down in a moment of reflection. Either way, it’ll have you feeling good about yourself!
- Watch some Netflix. Yes, that’s on here twice; it’s a good cure for boredom. Put on something mindless like reality TV, and let yourself slowly fall asleep.
- Watch a documentary. If TikTok’s true crime fascination is more your thing, you can get deeper into a documentary that’ll have you up all night, or go for something more calming for the nighttime, like a nature doc.
- Take a long shower. It’ll give you a moment away from everything (including your phone), and you can treat it as a chance to “reset” your day.
- Sit or lay outside in good weather. That’s it! You can get some Vitamin D and people-watch, and the hours will fly by.
Productive tasks to cure your boredom
- Rearrange your furniture or redecorate your living space. Maybe it’s time to buy some new cozy apartment decor?
- Make a vision board. If you’re not sure how to make a vision board, it’s all about intention — you can do this at a time like the new year or the beginning of a semester, or just when you think you want to make a change.
- Plan a future trip. You could be studying abroad or just going on a short vacation, but either way, you can use this time to make up a packing list, plan out your itinerary, and make bookings or reservations where you need to.
- Go to the gym. Go for a walk, a run, sit-ups — anything you can for a little bit of exercise. This will get you out of the house and get the blood flowing. A win-win!
- Organize your closet, or do a full-blown closet clean-out. It’s time to learn how to maximize your closet space and maybe stow away those out-of-season items.
- Find a part-time or freelance job. Whether it’s a quick college summer job or a longer-term role, this is a great way to fill up your empty schedule and get paid.
- Clean something in your place that you haven’t in a while. Inside of the microwave, anyone?
- Meal prep for the upcoming week. When you’re exhausted at the end of Wednesday and don’t feel like cooking, guess what? You don’t have to! Your past self already thought of that.
- Clean your makeup brushes. While you’re at it, clean out your makeup bag too — it’s probably disgusting.
- Make a future finances plan. Organizing your college finances takes a lot of time and strategy, so the earlier you start, the better.
- Sign up for a class. You can do this alone or with a friend, but the goal is to walk away with a new skill, whether that’s cooking, jewelry making, dancing, or any other hobby you want to try.
- Make a list of personal or professional goals. Try thinking of attainable goals you want to set at work, and figure out how you can make them a reality.
- Go grocery shopping. Just don’t go when you’re hungry, or you might be spending all your money on snacks.
- Clean out your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Decluttering your news feed and becoming a better curator of what you see on social media can help your peace of mind and make opening these apps way less overwhelming.
- Start a garden (or kitchen garden). Think about it: You’ll have your own fresh vegetables to cook with, whether you use them immediately or preserve them for later.
- Clean your phone or phone case (it’s probably very dirty). Think about how often you use it, how many public surfaces you’re placing it on, and all the bacteria it’s probably picked up since the last time you wiped it down. Yuck!
- Donate old clothes or other items to your local charity. Clearing out your closet of items you don’t wear anymore could take several days, and at the end of it, you’ll have done a good deed.
- Do your laundry. It’s definitely better to take care of this particular chore sooner rather than later.
- Make lists. The benefits of writing to-do lists are aplenty, and knowing all the things you have to get done might just cure your boredom in the long-term.