This is a weird time. There’s no better word to describe it. We’ve been saying that we wished school and work would end so that we could finally get time to ourselves. We wanted free time. Well, now we’ve got it and we don’t know what to do with ourselves in this time of social distancing. Before, we would have probably all been out with our friends or traveling, basically doing all the things we’re supposed to be avoiding right now. It seems like our options are limited, but in all actuality, there’s so much you could be doing while you’re at home, even if it gets a little bit lonely.
Here are 5 things you can do while you’re holed up at home waiting to emerge from your cocoon (aka your house).
1. Cook a meal or two
Look, I know this seems super unexciting to some of you. BUT I also know that there are a lot of people, myself included, who get really excited about the idea of cooking and can’t seem to make the time to actually do it on a normal day. Now that our “normal” has changed, there’s no better time to start. Most of us have at least a couple more hours of free time in our days and for many recipes, that’s all you’ll need. Thankfully, we also still have access to the internet so we can find any and every recipe could ever hope for. (Side note: Tan France recently posted a recipe for Daal on his Instagram and it’s so easy to follow. I’d also like to add that if you do choose to prepare it I’d recommend using a little less salt and more chili if you like spice.) Just because your days in quarantine might be a bit boring doesn’t mean your meals have to be.
2. Clean your space
Like I said before, this option might also seem unexciting but it’s SO necessary. On an average day, you might look around at the mess you’ve created and think “I’ll clean that later when I have more time.” And let’s be real, that time doesn’t come for a while. Now that you’re home indefinitely, it’s the perfect time to give your room, bathroom, kitchen—whatever room you may have destroyed—a good clean. Put on a podcast or audiobook and clean your heart out! Believe me, you’ll feel so much better for it later. And when you’re bored, even cleaning can be fun!
3. Start that book!
Remember when we had time to read for fun? I miss it. I also happen to talk about missing that time of life very often. If you’re anything like me, you’ve realized that this is the time to read to your heart’s content. If you’re not like me, you may not think about reading very often. In that case, you should think about starting now. There’s no pressure to finish anything for a certain deadline or before you have to start a big assignment. Just endless amounts of free time and no deadlines. If you have a book (or a few) that you’ve been wanting to start, do it now! There’s truly no time like the present.
4. Learn a new language
Here in the U.S., we’re at a collective disadvantage. We weren’t raised with more than one language and many of us lament that fact. We also don’t all necessarily have the time to learn one, despite it being the best time of life to learn one (besides being a young child). Even if you’re still doing schoolwork or going to work, you have much more time in your day and are probably bored of being on your phone all the time. Take this opportunity to learn a language you’re interested in and really learn how to give your time value now that you have so much of it.
5. Journaling
Starting a journal is such a great way to process your feelings, especially in the midst of this pandemic. For most of us, this is the most time we’ve spent at home alone. Even when you have your family or roommates living with you, you’ll still probably feel lonely from time to time. As many of you know, being alone with your thoughts can be emotionally difficult. Here’s where journaling comes in. When you feel sad about being alone, angry at politicians and corporations, or happy about how the world is benefitting from this otherwise terrible pandemic, pull out a journal and write it down. This way, you won’t feel as overwhelmed by everything that’s going on, especially when you can’t escape it.
Of course, there’s a long list of things you can do to fill your time in quarantine. They don’t all have to be the most fun activities or even something new for you. The most important thing is to do what’s best for you and spend your time in a way that you feel is most valuable. I also wanted to keep this short list limited to things that almost anyone can do in the comfort of their home, no matter where they live. Obviously, you can move beyond this list but for those of you who just want to take it easy, these are the 5 things I would recommend doing while you’re in quarantine.