6th November 2023
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With the coronavirus situation getting worse, Britain has inevitably headed towards a nationwide lockdown. With festivals, concerts and graduations being cancelled, the exciting things that once kept us going have disappeared, and it’s easy to get down when you can’t even go to the pub to drink yourself into oblivion. So, what is left?
Whilst things indeed look bleak at the minute, we need to keep in mind that this will pass at some point and life will go back to normal. All we need to do is keep ourselves occupied until that time comes – imagine how sweet that first pint back at Spoons with your mates will be! Whether you’re already riding out the quarantine like me or about to begin, I’ve devised a list of things to do around the house to stop you going completely insane.
If you’re artistically inclined then make a masterpiece, or if you have no talents like me, then buy some colouring books and shade in someone else’s!
Animal Crossing just came out on the Switch, why not spend your days paying back insane housing debts to a raccoon?
Grab anything you can find around the house to cut up and stick it all back together again. It sounds pointless, but it’ll keep you occupied for a few hours and you could end up with some new wall decorations!
Pick up that guitar (or year 6 recorder) that has been gathering dust for a while. Bonus points if you have a balcony and some neighbours that won’t scream at you for serenading them!
Make a happy quarantine playlist to keep your spirits up (preferably 2 weeks long so you don’t get bored of the same songs on repeat)
Because making an assault course for your cat is a perfectly acceptable way to kill time. Unless your cat is like mine, and spends all of her time finding the most inconvenient place to sleep.
Whether you’re practicing your poetic skills or starting a diary or blog, writing is a great way to vent your emotional turmoil (especially if you’ve just had to move back home with your siblings)
Whilst our self-isolation might only last for a couple of weeks, for others it’ll be for months. Offer up driving and delivery services to those who can’t make their way to the shop, or even a phone call to help fight loneliness.
I live by a beach and have way too much free time.
Sort through your wardrobe; take everything out that you haven’t worn in over a year and see if you can revamp it!
Buy a clear plastic phone case and decorate it!
Do you need to update your CV? Write a cover letter? Apply for jobs or work experience? A bit of future-proofing never goes amiss, especially when it feels so uncertain at the minute.
A great bit of escapism, and an excuse to eat snacks and stay in your duvet all day. If you’re really bored, make a chart and rate them all.
With pasta out of stock all over the country, take the opportunity to learn some new recipes.
If you’re like me and have a stack of books waiting to be read, now is the perfect opportunity to unwind and get through them.
Follow along with an 80s exercise video for extra laughs.
It’s better to be quarantined in a tidy house! Disinfect your surroundings and air out your bedroom, you’ll feel 10 times better after.
Classic time killers, and you can even work on your chess skills. Top tip: cats are terrible cheats at Ludo.
One plus side of self-isolation is that you don’t end up spending all of your money on meal deals and coffees, so hopefully by the end you’ll have a little extra cash to spend!
Worst case scenario situation here. But for real, staying organised and getting on top of coursework will have amazing effects on your mental state. Make a work routine to fight the lack of structure in our lives.
Why not start planning a holiday, or even a meet up with all of your friends at the end of summer. It’s important to have things to look forward to, especially with everything being postponed!
Keep smiling, look after each other and stay isolated!
