Of course you are…
Everybody’s in quarantine. And we should all just face it: We’re all as bored as that one lonely Cheerio behind our kitchen counter waiting to be eaten. But why should ¾ of America have to stay at home with absolutely nothing to do, and no one telling them to stop eating those Oreos? Well I ask you, because now I’m telling you to put that Oreo box down and get moving.
Now, you may not want to put those Oreos down, but think of it this way: Is it productive? If you have any doubt in your mind whatsoever, it’s a definite no. But if you find something interesting to do and it’s productive, go for it! And for those who don’t know, “productive” means for your social wellbeing, too. So don’t go running around handing out “SUB TO ME ON YT” flyers on stilts. Sure, you get more subscribers – but the stilts? Tsk tsk tsk. Further in this article you’ll find exclusive interviews from ordinary people who have extraordinary ideas. Not only boredom ideas, but help with eating habits as well (don’t deny you could use some help breaking your bad habits). And there is no better time to take action then n.o.w. Sure, quarantine will lag on for what seems like forever and you may be thinking, “I have the eternity of quarantine to fix my bad habits,!” But that’s what you say now. I won’t go into detail but that statement is a bad habit. So get off your couch already and do something.
So we all know that 3 in 4 people are self isolating themselves from the world by staying at home. But the same 3 in 4 people are so bored they started counting how many dust bunnies you can find under your bed. Which brings me to my first subtopic.
Shoo! Shoo, boredom!
Boredom isn’t fun, which is why I’m going to help you evict it from your apartment. According to Healthline.com, boredom doesn’t simply mean having nothing to do – it’s having lots of energy but having nothing to direct it toward. And it’s not just directing it to anything at all, but actually directing that energy into something you’re particularly interested in.
“In quarantine, I have baked, read, and I’ve virtually hung out with my friends,” says Lusya, your average 11 year-old girl. She claims that starting a garden is a really nice thing to do for those that have access to direct sunlight. Not only can it be something to help you get moving, but it’s actually a proven anti-stress activity. Dr. Hutchins, a UNC health physician from healthtalk.com says, “Gardening gives you a chance to focus on something and put your mind to work with a goal and a task in mind, which is helpful especially now with so much illness and death and talk of death, just to see things growing and things thriving.” Not only that, but the same article mentions that working on your garden outside for about 30-50 minutes is a good way to get in your vitamin D – also known as sunlight-, and yes, I said s-u-n-l-i-g-h-t, you are not dreaming. Lusya recommends growing “cucumbers, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes.” They’re all not too hard to grow and taste great either by themselves or with a little cooking!
Another stress relieving activity is drawing – but I like to call it sketching, doodling, scratching, noting, spilling, expressing; just anything but drawing, ok? According to LinkedIn, “For right-brained or artistic people, painting and drawing would be healthy ways of enhancing the creative skills that they already manifest. On the other hand, left-brained or analytical people can also stimulate their creativity and improve it.” So this information is meaningless if you don’t know off the top of your head whether you’re a right-brained person or left-brained. But an easy way to know if you’re left or right-brained is with a simple question: Do you find yourself to be a strict, punctual minded person? Or are you more of a creative and care-free person? In other words, do you like taking the reins for yourself? Or do you just go where the wind takes you? If you consider yourself to be a sharp, on point kind of person – congratulations! You are left-brained! If you like to roll the dice and see what happens then also congratulations! You are a right-brained person! If you’re both then, another congratulations! God, I feel bad for whoever reads this aloud. But to the point – if you’re left-brained, scroll down below to the section labeled “So you’re a left-brained person, eh?” If you’re right-brained, scroll down a little more to find the section labeled “I’m the right kind of person, know what I mean?” If you want stock in both communities, be my guest. If you want to take a digital test, click this link.
So you’re a left-brained person, eh?
So if you’re a left-brained person then you most likely organize things in your spare time and you always have a neat plan. Also, you are probably more of an auditory learner. From what I described, being left brained sounds boring – but really left brained people are capable of creating incredibly efficient companies and are the perfect kind of people for writing books, generating great marketing ideas, inventing genius machinery, and are most likely tech-savvy. So the point is you’re here now, but why did I make a section just for left-brained people you might ask? Well it’s really simple. Instead of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks, if you can identify how your brain thinks, some ideas will work better for you, and some won’t!
Something else you might like to try is a tessellation. It’s a kind of art that repeats itself in a continuous pattern. You’ll need the following:
- Post-its
- A pencil
- A pair of scissors
- Tape
- A piece of paper
- And a colored pencil and/or marker
This is a situation where I think trying to explain to you the process of this activity will bore you. So instead of boring you, I’ll attach the link right here.
And one other thing you might enjoy is this – but warning, it might get messy. So take a trip to the supermarket and get the following: ¼ cup white school glue, 1 tablespoon water, 3 teaspoons Thermochromic pigment, ¼ cup liquid starch, and food coloring of your choice! Can you guess what we’re making yet? I’ll give you a hint, it’s slime. And yes that is just a hint – because we’re really making Thermochromic Slime! (Color changing slime.) I know if I attempt to explain the process you won’t understand (again), so click the link to this website.
This satisfying slime is a literal game changer. Not only is it a mesmerizingly enjoyable, but there’s some really interesting science behind it. So there are two kinds of thermochromic pigment, liquid crystals and leuco dyes. In liquid crystals, a change in temperature causes the miniature crystals to shift apart, making the light that bounces off the crystals come in different wavelengths (therefore making different colors).
I’m the right-kind of person, know what I mean?
If you are a right-brained person, you’re probably always itching to tinker and experiment with things even if they have a bit of a messy result. You also probably cringed at the pun-title. Unlike left-brained people, you’re a pretty artistic person. Fun fact: You’re most likely a visual learner!
Now onto the good stuff. The first boredom buster I have for you is a laughter-starting activity. For extra fun, call a friend and enjoy the fun together over FaceTime. So grab yourself a piece of paper, and a pen or pencil. What you’re going to do is give yourself a goal of what to draw. You can write it down, or just keep it in mind. I recommend starting with stuff like a happy face, the outline of a house, a snowman, or an ice cream. Then close your eyes and do your best to doodle out your goal! When you think you’ve finished your masterpiece, open your eyes and present it to your friend. Tell them it’s “abstract art.”
Another cool thing you can do to enjoy your time is to make a mask out of things like old stretchy socks that you don’t wear any more. Or a stretchy scarf that you’ve neglected for a few and have finally found a purpose for. (Notice how I emphasize the fact that the sock must be stretchy.) To make a mask out of a sock, straighten out the sock so that you’re looking at the top part of the sock. Then cut the sock in such a way that you have a piece that was the bottom, and a piece that was the top. Now measure it to your face and mark with your fingers where the sock reaches your ears. Then cut where your fingers marked so your ears can fit snug. And last but not least! Go model your new DIY mask! If you have a scarf, your first step is actually measuring the scarf to your face, then cutting the outline. After this step, you just need to do all the steps involved in making a mask out of a sock.
And last but never least, how about a plant you don’t have to take care of? If you guessed Air Plant Terrarium then oh-my-god you are quick. If you want to take care of a plant, then look for the second supply list.
Supply List 1
- 1-quart mason jar (or any jar)
- 1-cup sand
- Fake plants (half the size of your palm)
- (Optional) Shells, Pebbles, sea glass, (or other decorative accessories)
- (Optional) 1-foot long twine
Supply List 2
- 1-quart mason jar (or any jar)
- 1-cup sand
- Tillandsia (or another air plant)
- (Optional) Shells, Pebbles, sea glass, (or other decorative accessories)
- (Optional) 1-foot long twine
- Water sprayer (to water the air plant)
Ok. Now we’ve got all we need. Onto the steps! I’ll refer to the fake plant and the air plant just as “plant”.
Step 1.) Transfer your sand into your jar
Step 2.) Add in all your little accessories (pebbles, shells, sea glass, or any other small decorative item.)
Step 3.) Next, place your plant (alive or fake) into the jar. If you use a real plant, make sure never to close the jar with its lid to keep the air circulated.
Step 4.) (Optional) Wrap your twine around the neck of the jar.
Step 5.) If you used a real plant, lightly spray your plant with some water.
And there we go! You’ve got yourself a terrarium!
Before we move on,
So I’ve now taught you some interesting boredom tricks. But what about those chips? Those cookies? That ice cream? That soda? Nope. You’re going to have to eat your last chip, munch your last cookie, scoop your last ice cream, and sip your last soda. Because I’m about to give you some healthier alternatives. (“Boo, BOOOOO!” Yes I know, you may not be psyched but wait for it.)
I told you to eat your last chip…
Ok, now this is your last straw – put the bag down. So how this will work is I will name a rather popular snack (Oreos, Cheetos, Doritos, etc.) and then I will name another company that makes a similar snack, but healthier.
Cheetos – Hippeas.
Nabisco Oreos – Annie’s organic sandwich cookies
Lays chips – Sun Chips
Lays Doritos – Veggie Stix
Sour Patch Kids – Smart Sweets
M&Ms or Skittles – Unreal
Fruit by the Foot – Stretch Island Fruit Leathers
Kit Kat – Power Crunch Power Bar
Cheez Its – Annie’s cheddar bunnies
Starburst – Wholesome organic fruit chews
That’s a lot of snacks that you don’t think are too bad. Just like you think you’re considering eating healthier. The point being that you’ve probably had a few of these “snacks” that have no benefits to your health. I know, I know, it sounds boring, useless, and pointless. But do you want to look like the cat on the cover? I didn’t think so.
I Suppose this is Goodbye
So I suppose this is goodbye. I hope this article has been a helpful source of ideas in terms of enjoying your time in quarantine, or staying healthy. Whether you’re left-brained, right-brained, a Cheetos, or a Kit Kat kind of person, you can definitely enjoy quarantine. Thanks for reading!
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