I don’t know about you, but I was shocked when I found out that Ontario would be entering yet another lockdown. I was filled with anxiety, stress, and fear; I would be entering my first co-op term, and it would be online. So, I’d be spending at least 8 hours alone in my room every day, and then after a hard day of work, I wouldn’t even be able to do anything. Okay, I tend to be a little dramatic — fortunately, there are more options than just sitting in my room. Here’s what I’ve been up to and what I plan to do during this lockdown, and probably for the rest of the term, too.
- Going on walks, skating, and tobogganing
I know when it’s cold out people are discouraged from going outside, but now more than ever, it’s important that you continue to get some exercise. When you’re stressed with school, COVID, or anything else, it’s good to get outside and move around. If it’s too cold to go on a walk, I recommend skating somewhere (even if you don’t know how, trust me, that makes it even more fun) or finding the nearest hill and sliding down on a toboggan. You could go out with a friend too, and afterwards, have some hot chocolate. That sounds like a perfect night to me!
- Escape Rooms
For some reason, I thought this lockdown was the same as the rest: everything closing, and being unable to see anyone. Thankfully, that’s not the case. Last week I went to an escape room, and boy, was it ever fun! My boyfriend, close friend and I tried to escape from prison, and we had a blast (and we got out, too)! You only have an hour to get out of the room, but I found that it was still plenty of time and loads of fun. It’s a great way to get out and try something new! We went to a local escape room, which had tons of great options to choose from. If you haven’t gone to an escape room yet, I recommend giving it a try, especially now when so many things are closed.
- Air Dry Clay
Even if you’re not an artsy person, air dry clay is a great idea for a night alone or with a friend. For $15 on Amazon, you can buy a couple pounds of clay and sculpt it into anything you want, whether it be a dish, glass, bowl, or anything else your heart desires! You can Google the instructions as well if you get confused, but it’s a great way to get off of your phone and channel your creativity!
- (Let’s Go To) The Mall
Even if you’re not a fan of the show How I Met Your Mother, going to the mall is a great idea. They’re not closed this time around, and even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s fun to get out of the house and just walk around, looking at all the stores and the people within. Maybe you can even find a new hobby that you can invest in at one of the stores!
I know being in lockdown sucks, and it’s hard for everyone. I hope that maybe you can use one of these fun activities to get outside, or just get off your phone and try something new. We’ll see if I’m able to get out of the next escape room that I try!