I took my last final a couple days ago, and I’m already bored. With quarantine happening, there’s not much I can do to keep myself busy. School work was actually the one thing that kept me sane and gave me a routine. I know for a fact that if I do nothing all summer that I will definitely lose my marbles. That being said, I also don’t want to go out in public if I don’t need to, so here are some ways to have a productive summer without leaving your house.
- Take Summer Classes
-
Now is a great opportunity to get ahead on your credits! It’s not like you have anything better to do. Additionally, because universities know about how quarantine is affecting us, they’re offering special tuition discounts. You don’t even have to be a student at that university to take the classes they’re offering, AND you can take advantage of the discount. I’ve already gotten plenty of emails from schools I applied to my senior year in high school offering me various opportunities. Not to mention, summer classes tend to be easier than academic-year classes in general. Now with everything online and the fact that we’re in the middle of a pandemic, I’ll be surprised if they’re not even relatively easier now.
- Volunteer
-
There is always a need for volunteers somewhere. There are a bunch of ways to help support the front-line workers during this time. Volunteer opportunities don’t even need to relate to the medical field directly. There are opportunities to work with students who may need help the rest of the semester and for summer classes. Or maybe you can help the Smithsonian Museum transcribe documents. Point is, you can place your help anywhere, just find something that aligns with your interests. This is also a fun way to boost your resume. Instead of wasting away your summer, help make a difference in these times of need. Here are some starting places:
- Exercise
-
Get that summer bod you’ve always wanted. It may not matter this summer, but a healthy and fit body never goes to waste. Leave quarantine like Uncle Iroh from Avatar the Last Airbender when he broke out of jail. You can’t sit and do nothing for 3 months so move a little. It’s good for you.
- Redo your room
-
Take time to make your room into something you are comfortable in. It makes a huge difference to create a space where you can relax and be proud of. Because of lockdown, you’re probably going to be in there a lot, so why not make it a sanctuary. It’s a great time killer with close to immediate results. Go wild.
- Update your resume
-
Take this extended period to make your resume popping. It’ll come in handy after this crisis is over and everybody goes job/ internship hunting. Might as well update your LinkedIn profile too while you’re at it.
- Catch up on your reading list
-
I don’t think I’ve read a book for fun in the past 4 years, but I used to be obsessed with reading. I’m talking like being able to finish a whole novel in one sitting. Now I’m basically illiterate with a stack of unread books next to me that I’ve never touched. I’m going to try and get my attention span back by reading a really good book. There’s only so much TV you can watch without losing your mind; you know things are bad when you get bored of binging shows.
- Learn a cool new skill
-
It doesn’t have to be a useful skill. Just learn something like a party trick. Personally, I want to learn how to do a backflip or whistle with my fingers. Boredom drives you to do things; don’t fight it. If you want to learn a useful skill– like how to cook– that’s even better! I saw this guy on tiktok who’s spending his time taking requests from people telling him to learn new things, one of which being learning how to ‘throw it back’. He is the epitome of quarantine skill developing. As long as something is learned, I can’t complain.
All this being said, if you want to take this time to relax, it’s perfectly okay. Doing things that are conventionally productive is not a necessity, just something if you’re someone who thrives in hustle and bustle. There are plenty of people out there who work themselves to the bone everyday, and this is the perfect opportunity for them to stop and breathe. We’re not in normal times right now, so don’t expect things to be normal. Don’t let rise and grind Twitter bully you into working yourself to death. Just remember that taking care of yourself, including mind, body, and spirituality, is productive too.