By Molly Gaertner
With Ontario back in lockdown a lot of students are getting bored and restless looking for things to do. Outside of coursework, there is only so many hours one can spend on Tiktok and scrolling through Twitter.
It can be hard, however, to come up with things to do, especially during a time you have to stay away from most of your friends. So here are some suggestions to keep yourself entertained during another quarantine.
Enjoy the outdoors
There is a lot to do outdoors, and Canada has a lot of beautiful space. Winter is not all doom and gloom, and brings a lot of fun activities. You can go for hikes, skating, skiing, or snowshoeing. Even walks around the block will increase your mood with all the fresh air.
If you’re walking, skating, or skiing alone feel free to add a podcast or audiobook into the mix. If your area of living isn’t the most exciting perhaps use that time to make a phone call to a family member or friend you haven’t seen in a while.
The more enjoyment you can add to these activities the better, and the more likely they are to become a part of your routine.
Insider tip: Ramsey Lake’s skating path will be open soon (date unconfirmed yet), as well as Laurentian has partnered up with Kivi Park to offer students a free entrance to a new environment with a skating rink and lots of outdoor trails.
Hit the gym (but not literally)
Not everyone is a big fan of the outdoors, however, and luckily this isn’t the only option. There is plenty to do indoors for a low cost or for free!
If you’re interested in exercise but don’t want to have to brave the cold temperatures to do so, there are indoor activities you can try and you only need a little bit of space to do so! Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qigong are all great for your mental health and a lot of fun!
There are a lot of free videos on YouTube you can try out and follow along until you find someone who suits your style and helps you relax. All of these are also quite different, so you can mix them up or just choose one. They can be paired with meditation for an even more soothing experience.
Insider tip: lots of fitness Instagram pages offer weekly or daily live stream workouts!
Learn a new hobby
Everyone says they are going to but often will put it off for the “right time” (which never comes). Now is the right time! Or, maybe, your problem isn’t putting off a new hobby so much as not being sure where to start. Luckily with the internet this is much easier! Go on your favorite app and do what I like to call “hobby shopping”.
Over Christmas I received a starter kit for embroidery, I now embroider constantly and it has done wonders for my overall mental health.
You can do this with numerous hobbies of any sort that you would like to try.
You can take as long as you like to pick one, and then get the supplies and you’re set! Crafts are quite an easy thing to pick up like painting, embroidery, knitting, and music. Or if you want to get more creative there’s writing, baking, cooking, photography, fashion, makeup (everyday or SFX) and journaling.
If you’re not good at it immediately, don’t get discouraged. The one good thing that can come from all this alone time is the chance to improve and practice. Also you don’t have to be perfect at something to enjoy it, do it for you!
Now is a time for self growth
If self-improvement is your game you can use this time to learn a new language, there are tons of resources for this online, for any language that interests you! If you dare to face the Duolingo owl, that app is easily downloaded with many different levels and challenges to help you learn a new language.
If you want to eat healthier and have access to a kitchen, trying new recipes is a lot of fun, and you can challenge yourself by using kitchen materials or ingredients you’ve never tried before.
Sometimes going stir-crazy makes you reflect on the space you’re living in. Try to clean out and redecorate your living space. A deep clean is always helpful in the long run and you could possibly even find hobby supplies you forgot about! If your space is already clean, have you checked your online space? Texts, emails, documents, games, and other files can clutter up your phone/tablet/computer and a virtual deep clean can be just as anxiety-reducing as one in-person.
Don’t forget to stay in touch
If you are feeling very lonely, and aren’t too zoom fatigued, set up a call with friends. However, a call doesn’t just have to be a call, add a bit of spice.
Set up activities to do with your friends on call ahead of time. You can cook or bake together or play online games. If you’re missing staying over, stay up late together! You can watch movies or TV shows with friends on or off call using NetflixParty and other websites. Another popular zoom trend is to make presentations or Kahoots to share with your friends.
Inside or outside there are things to do you’re not thinking of! Totally understandable, we’ve been in a weird situation a long time and it gets easy to be stuck in a rut. Don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to either! You don’t have to use this time to “improve” or “grind” or change at all. If being on your phone or Netflix or reading in bed make you happiest, do it! You’re getting through a pandemic, and that alone is pretty wonderful! But if you’re feeling a little bored, these things might help get you started on a new adventure.