Actual Things for Adults to do in Quarantine

I get it, a post like this is basic.  But as part of my annual monthly challenges, I promised to write a minimum of one blog a month, and this one is certainly in with the times. For some of us, it’s the first few days of being stuck inside. For many, it’s been a while now and things might be getting dicey. For most, not much is open to go out and do. At some point you, like me, might try to look up some activities to pass time. Aghast, they’re all pretty lame lists. Here’s a slightly less lame list, IMO.

Scroll to the end to hear a summary of how (and why) I got to where I’m stuck now, along with some decent links I found from other sources.

 

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Write Handwritten Letters

For some reason, this whole stay-at-home thing makes it feel like i’m living in the 1900’s (with Netflix and electricity and stuff). So there’s no better time to #bringbacksnailmail. I may not have old people to write letters to, but who doesn’t like getting something other than billz and spam in the mailbox? Take some time these next few days and write something to someone.

DM me on Instagram if you want to pen pal!

 

Write Your Own Stand Up Comedy Routine

I’m not funny. Like, REALLY not funny. You know who makes a great party invite? Someone who is funny. You know who people want to hang out with? Someone who is funny!  Whether you are actually funny or not, it never hurts to have a few good jokes and stories in your back pocket. Try coming up with 2 – 3 good storylines from your life, and test them out on your pets to see if they’re any good. 

For some standup inspiration, check out these:

Jim Gaffigan – Holiday Traditions

Logan Guntzelman – Who Got Semen on the Roomba?

George Carlin – Our Similarities

 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Nothing concerns me more than my brother saying, “…hey I’ve got something for you. But you’re gunna have to wait, heh.” Turns out it was worth waiting for. The new Animal Crossing just came out this month! What better way to social distance than play a game where you don’t have to social distance. If you grew up playing Nintendo games (aka me) it’ll bring back a sense of nostalgia that’s hard to pass up. 

It might even inspire you to do some Animal-Crossing-like activities in real like, like it did for me! 

 

Cambio

If you’re one of the lucky ones, and aren’t completely alone or with people who don’t want to interact with you, then boy do I have an activity for you! This is a card game played with 2+ players, and will entertain you for hours. Here are the rules.

Since you have that pack of cards, you can also spend some time learning some magic tricks or card throwing. Party tricks for dayssssss!

 

Skill Learning

These next few might require some equipment, but not too hard to acquire or find around your house! Here’s a list of some skills that would be fun to learn in your endless spare time:

 

Give Your Expenses A Haircut

Do you know what you spend money on every month? My top categories of spending are unabashedly food and coffee. But wait, there’s more! There’s a lot of expenses you kind of forget about, like your Netflix monthly payment, Spotify, gym memberships, etc. that you might not even be able to use anymore. Now is the time to call and cancel those. If you still want to support your favorite businesses, you can! Or you can redirect those saved funds to local business owners who may be struggling with the current state of the world. You’ll be surprised how goooooooooood this feels.

I most recently cancelled my monthly parking permit at Stanford. Unfortunately, they charged me for a new month, just two days before, RIP.

 

Marie Kondo Your Phone

If you don’t know, Marie Kondo is a tidying expert who’s blossomed in fame the last decade. Full disclosure, I haven’t read her stuff, watched her shows, or know really anything about her and her method. However, apparently a key takeaway is to look at your stuff and only keep the things that ‘spark joy.’ Seems pretty straight-forward.

Go through your phone. Your pictures, videos, apps, etc. and delete as much as you can on there (or back it up to an external hard drive or laptop). I originally did this because my phone kept telling me “storage full.” It takes a surprising amount of time, thus, is a great time-killer. You might also find some old content thats great for the ‘gram!

 

Learn How to Be Alone With Yourself

Nowadays, it’s actually really hard to be alone. We can call our friends or see their face in real-time just by tapping a few buttons. Even if you don’t have friends, you can look at your pseudo-relationships by scrolling through all kinds of social media feeds. You’re never really alone. 

But there’s actually a skill in learning how to be alone. To know your thoughts, and to have your own time. Here’s an article about it, and if anything, it’s an interesting read. Regardless, do some stretching, practice meditation (or whatever), and get to know yourself. There’s literally never a better time than when you’re forced to be at home.

 

Westworld

Remember that really trippy, awesome show about AI? I do. When I found out that season 3 just came out, I screamed. I highly recommend watching a recap before diving into the new episodes. Stream it on HBO / Hulu or do the whole illegal thing #livingontheedge. 

 

Take Free Online Courses From The Lesser Universities

And since most colleges have moved to online courses for the rest of the year anyways, you’re basically and Ivy League grad. I haven’t really looked into this, but if all other activities fail, learning is always something to turn to. The offerings seem endless – there has to be something here for everyone’s interest. You can access the courses here. If you want a curated list of recommended courses, read this. If you come across any great ones, please let me know!!

 

Compile A Prank Video

If you’re sheltered at home with others, pass the time by making them afraid to turn corners in their own home. Jump-scares, pranks, anything to mess with them. Film it. Post it on the internet for the world to enjoy. Definitely forward it to me. Don’t do this though.

Update Your Portfolio / Website

It’s easy to fall behind with little updates. Before you know it, your online information is way out of date. It’s like having a Facebook profile picture from 5 years ago. Acceptable, but did you suddenly vanish from the earth of something? Stop caring about appearances and stopped showering and leaving the house (well, maybe now you have)? Anyways, update your stuff and make it look like you’re on top of your life. 

 

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I was at Stanford, in my dorm, a week or so away from finals, which I wasn’t studying for. One day I got an email. “Students petition to move finals online.” I was definitely down for that. The next day, the university sent out an announcement that they were moving classes online for the remainder of the quarter. They said students could leave early for spring break if they wanted. Many did, jetting off around the world.

A day or two later, the university announced that if you had left the university, you couldn’t come back. Students panicked. They had left their things and their friends with no knowledge of when they could return. Student social media groups exploded with memes and commentaries. The next day, the university announced that finals would made optional, per direction of the professor. I was relieved, but only momentarily, as the impending uncertainty rolled in. The school sent out a survey about students staying on campus for spring quarter. Then they emailed everyone telling us we had to leave, and fast. So we packed up, and we moved out, with a return date up-in-the-air. Finally, they told us that all of spring quarter would be online, graduation was cancelled, and they’d send all of our stuff back to us. Oh and don’t forget to pay tuition. 

Recently, my life updates on a day-to-day basis. New information comes in, forcing me to change my plans and adjust to whatever requirements are instated. Its uneasy, but I’ve lived a softer version of this – plus everyone else is in the same boat. 

I packed all of the belongings I could fit into my little Jeep and drove across the country. We stopped in little towns along the way, eerily empty because of social distancing and business-closing demands. Arriving in the ‘land of enchantment,’ (the only enchanting thing is how boring this place is) New Mexico, I knew it was going to be a struggle. This is where I am now, and this is where I’ll be until things start moving again.

Keep an eye out for video updates coming soon.

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For a few more lists of things to do, check out this and this and this.