1.     Do your chores.

Do the thing you neglected most back when you were in school: your chores. Take this time as an opportunity to give back to your household.

2.     Learn a new skill.

Whether it’s baking, learning a new instrument, or painting, getting better at an activity can be entertaining and a valuable asset.

3.     Use your imagination.

As you’ve probably already seen in viral videos online, families across the world are getting creative in their modes of entertainment. Making mock movie theaters, doing themed dinners, and creating an in-home-spa are just some of the ways your family can get creative.

4.     Expand your knowledge.

If there’s a subject you’ve always been curious about, now’s the time to dive right in.

5.     Take a culinary trip around the world.

Next time your family is working on a grocery list, come up with some creative menu options to try out.

6.     Experiment with your style.

The positive side of social distancing is that any botched hair dye attempts or odd wardrobe decisions will go unjudged (except for by your family). Use this as an opportunity to go crazy and try out whatever looks your heart desires.

7.     Get competitive.

What better motivation is there to get something done than a little competition? Turn mundane activities into epic contests as you battle for the last roll of toilet paper.

8.     Binge, binge, binge.

The past month has seen a surplus of new shows being released on streaming services. Reinvest yourself in your favorite shows or find something new.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB6wYVCEY3w

9.     Try viral recipes.

Whipped coffee is just the tip of the ice burg, as foodies everywhere are taking this time to create new tempting recipes for you to try. You can even create a rating system to decide which recipes are worth the hype and which are overrated.

10.  Find a new favorite book series.

If you’ve been stuck in one genre for the past few years, try expanding your horizons to find your next literary obsession. I personally recommend Truly Devious and We Set the Dark on Fire.

11.  Focus on you.

Self care is often neglected during our busy school schedules, so allow yourself to relax and focus on improving yourself. Take bubble baths, try face masks, and love your beautiful self.

12.  Get creative in your fitness routine.

Most of us don’t have access to exercise equipment in our own homes and athletes especially are at risk of regressing due to lack of practice at this time. Check out this article by the Washington Post on how Olympic athletes are able to train at home (https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/04/14/olympic-athletes-training-home-workouts/?arc404=true).

13.  Camp in your backyard.

After six weeks spent cooped up in our houses, their bound to feel a little cramped. While you can’t vacation, you can still get away while social distancing. Set up a tent in your backyard and spend a night under the stars for a much needed escape.

14.  Go on a hike.

Though some areas, such as the RSM lake, are seeing an increase in activity that threatens the standards of social distancing, there are plenty of local places that are spread out enough that you can exercise outdoors without risk of being infected.

15.  Celebrate birthdays.

Although you can’t be with your friends to celebrate their special day, birthday parades have become a growing trend. Take a ride in a fun procession with your friend group, using banners to send special messages to let them know you care.

16.  Build an epic pillow fort.

Let your inner child run wild as you create the greatest pillow fort ever. Make it stretch across the entire house, give it vaulted ceilings, innovate and get creative as you build a giant pillow fort. Check out Community on Netflix for inspiration.

17.  Get your puzzle on.

Who has time to put together a 1,000 piece puzzle? You do now.

18.  Journal.

With limited examples to compare this current situation to, more and more parents are comparing their children to a modern “Anne Frank” and encouraging teens to keep a journal. While our situation is nowhere near similar to living in the middle of the Holocaust, keeping a journal can be therapeutic and a great way to make sense of a confusing period of your life.

19.  Play with your pets.

Did someone say doggy fashion show? Our pets spend every day of the school year anxiously waiting for us to come home. Now’s the time to give them the love and attention they deserve.

20.  Find alternate methods of communication.

Talk to your neighbors through signs on windows. Make chalk messages on your friends’ driveways. Let the people in your life know you care, especially if they are living alone at this time.

21.  Write angsty poetry.

Release your inner Rupi Kaur and write poetry to reflect on your quarantine state of mind. Who knows, in a hundred years you may end up in a history book.

22.  Enjoy virtual events.

Celebrities have quickly gotten to work releasing virtual concerts, sing-a-longs, and even virtual proms. Take advantage of these possibly once in a lifetime events, even if they are a tad cheesy.

23.  Give back.

Leave cards or drinks for delivery workers, or make cards for the doctors risking their lives to keep everyone safe and well.

24.  Play a looong board game.

Now’s the time to get out risk and monopoly—and to actually finish the game.

25.  Watch Disney movies in different languages.

It sounds odd, but it is weirdly entertaining to learn to belt your favorite Disney songs in another language.

26.  Make piles of things to donate.

To create more room in your home, determine what sparks joy and what does not.

27.  Go running in a post-apocalyptic waste land.

Tired of your boring fitness routine? Switch things up by using the Zombies, Run! app for a one of a kind workout experience.

28.  Become a Rubik’s master.

If you have yet to solve a Rubik’s cube, sharpen your skills in your free time.

29.  Learn to flirt in a foreign language.

Yes, learning a new language is impressive enough to aid in your courting endeavors, but why not impress a certain lad or lady by asking them if it hurt when they fell from heaven in another language? Duolingo offers a course on foreign flirting to help out all the world traveling hopeless romantics and its worth checking out.

30.  Prank your siblings.

Spending a day with your siblings is pushing it, but six weeks? That’s too much. Get back at the little rascals with some light hearted pranks and try not to get caught by mom and dad.

31.  Learn to photoshop.

You can’t leave the house, but you can photoshop yourself on the moon with Dwayne the Rock Johnson.

32.  Buy sweatpants.

This one’s just a no-brainer. What else are you supposed to wear?

33.  Support local businesses.

As often as you can, order food from local businesses to keep them from going under during this time of financial instability.

34.  Give your cat a bath.

Step 1: get a cat. Step 2: put on protective gear. Step 3: give it bath. Step 4: visit emergency room.

35.  Eat an orange in the shower.

According to the internet, it’s good for your mental health. And if it’s on the internet, it must be true. Right?

36.  Fail at yoga.

Don’t worry, it’s not for everyone.

37.  Make a Pinterest board of places that aren’t your home.

What’s the opposite of homesickness? Sick-of-your-home-ness?

38.  Become a famous TikToker.

If Charli can get five million likes by eating cake, I’m convinced anyone can make it on TikTok.

39.  Take an online course.

Schools like Harvard are releasing free courses for students to keep themselves busy with. Bonus: you can brag about attending Harvard without ever having to leave your couch.

40.  Clear some space on your phone.

No, you do not need every single one of the 5, 689 pictures currently on your phone. Clear the clutter and use the new space for fun apps.

41.  Write reviews.

Compliment your favorite restaurant or hate on the charcoal tooth paste brand that turned your teeth gray. It’s a cathartic experience and buys you fifteen minutes of entertainment.

42.  Become a connoisseur.

Listen to every artist on Spotify. Watch all the movies on Netflix. Learn what art means. By the end of quarantine, you’ll be able to talk about your music, film, and art like a total expert.

43.   Set daily goals.

Even if the first one is simply to get out of bed, setting goals will keep you from getting stuck in a lazy rut.

44.  Start a podcast.

Even if your only listener is your mom, podcasts are fun ways to vent and dish about the things you’re passionate about.

45.  Have a movie night outside.

Mini-projectors are reasonably priced on Amazon and a great way to turn a movie you’ve seen a thousand times into a fun experience.

46.  Watch TV with friends.

Using Netflix party and Watch2Gether, you can stream your favorite shows with your friends.

47.  Try out those ridiculous Troom Troom videos.

The five minute crafts videos produced by Troom Troom may be odd, but they could be a hilarious way to spend your day.

48.  Recreate album covers.

Challenge each member of your friend group to recreate their favorite album cover and put them all together in an awesome collage.

49.  Redecorate your room.

Update your room décor with pictures from the past year and add some twinkle lights as a finishing touch.

50.  And finally, spend hours on your phone.

That’s what you’re going to do anyway.