By: Brianna Kalina
As our world endeavors through this unprecedented time, one thing we all have in common is the lack of activities to do while stuck at home! While going on your phone, searching through social media, and watching Netflix can take some time off the day, it’s only a matter of time before you head on over to grab the next snack out of boredom. In order to make it out of this state both happy and healthy, it is important to make efficient use of your time and focus on your well-being!
Workout! Reading this, you may have zero motivation to do so, but once you do one small exercise, you will realize how good it feels! There’s no need to go crazy; a ten minute run can do so many positive things. It is so important to get your blood and body flowing. YouTube holds hundreds of easy home workouts of all sorts; some are less than 10 minutes long – there is no excuse! You can create a daily routine to keep you motivated, and each day, add some time to your workout. Eating your quarantine snacks will not cause you to feel as guilty if you are making efforts to move your body.
Get crafty! One of the new fashion trends is tie-dyed and bleached clothing. There is no reason to spend extra when you can make it yourself. Order some dye online, find that bleach that is definitely in your house somewhere, and get to work. There are easy to follow YouTube videos showing how to create all different types of clothing. Another thing to do is to paint! You may be thinking that is not possible if you have zero art experience, so order a paint-by-number kit. You can find them anywhere online, even on Amazon, and they make it super easy for anyone to create a professional looking piece. They take time and precision, so this will definitely keep you busy.
Bake! There is nothing better than finding your hidden baking talent in a time like this. Instead of following the traditional brownie recipe, get creative and try something new. For example, you can make brownie cups and then fill them with ice cream! There are many more ideas and tons of recipes online you can follow. Another viral food trend right now is whipped coffee. Apparently nothing tops it. All you need is instant ground coffee and a few additional ingredients that you can most likely find in your home. Making it in the mornings can be something to look forward to doing each day, and it will give you some motivation to leave your bed. Many famous chefs are sharing their secrets on Instagram live and offering online cooking classes for free, so this is your time to take advantage of learning a new skill.
Make yourself a schedule! Getting bored is so easy during this time, and this boredom is causing many people to lose both motivation and interest. By creating an organized schedule consisting of many things to do during the day, while also factoring in school work, getting through each day will be easier and more productive. Another thing that can help is getting dressed in something a little nicer than pajamas. Of course, laying around in comfy clothes is a perk of quarantine, but at the same time, even getting ready in a simple school outfit can help boost your mood and motivation.
Get a head start on upcoming things! If you’re an AP student, it can’t hurt to take some time each day to study or even make a master study guide! Although it may be early, if you are a sophomore (or a junior), it can’t hurt to start some SAT/ACT practice! Khan Academy has unlimited free practice online, so it may be a good idea just to assess your level. Although the fate of summer is undecided, it may be a good idea to start looking for job opportunities and internships for the older students. Reaching out now may better secure a position for you, so there is no harm in getting a head start.
The best thing to do in a time like this, however, is to take advantage of all of the positives that can come out of a difficult time. One of the great things this quarantine offers is time that we can use to better ourselves in some way. Don’t allow quarantine to cause boredom and be counterproductive. Staying busy is how we can all happily manage through this time and come out better on the other side. You got this!
Photo courtesy of voicesofyouth.org.
