The past month has turned our world upside down. Stores, schools and cities around the world have shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus and most of us are stuck at home. Unfortunately, some have lost their jobs and others are risking their lives in the healthcare field taking care of the sick. It is challenging to adjust to this new reality with no clear end in sight. 

It is expected for us to be bored while being stuck at home because of social distancing or stressed out financially and mentally because of the new circumstances. However, our health is very important, especially now, so taking care of ourselves is a priority. Self-quarantine could be a time to reconnect to your passions, focus on your relationships or perhaps re-evaluate your hectic schedule. 

If you have exhausted all your options of things to do, even after procrastinating on homework, check out the list below on how else you can fight boredom and de-stress!

1. 1. Start a watch party for your favorite movies or shows! Even with social-distancing recommendations in place, you can enjoy a movie with your friends as if you were all relaxing on the same couch! Add the Netflix Party extension on Google Chrome to start your watch party now! It allows you to play and pause a Netflix movie or TV show in real time, synchronizing everyone’s screens. There is even a chat bar available so you and your friends can discuss the movie! The only catch is that everyone joining the party needs a Netflix account –– or have signed up for the 30-day free trial.
   2. Cook your favorite dish or try baking something. Nothing is better than a home cooked meal. After you spend all that time in the kitchen preparing your dish, you can savor every last bit of it. If you are looking to ease the tension at home, cooking a meal is a great way to get everyone together.
   3. Listen to a podcast. There is probably a podcast for anything and everything you are interested in. They are great to listen to when you are doing other chores around the house, or just want to sit down and relax. If you are alone in quarantine, podcasts can keep you company. From the news to politics to comedy to advice, you can find something that suits you; and if you can’t find one, you can make one! 
   4. Learn a language! There are apps and websites (Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, etc.) that make learning a new language less daunting than it often seems. Although Babbel requires a subscription, Duolingo is a free service and Rosetta Stone is giving students 3 months of free access amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Youtube has a great deal of channels dedicated to teaching others their culture and language that you can access to supplement your endeavors. For example, if you are looking to teach yourself Korean, BTS –– the famous k-pop boy band –– is releasing 30-minute lessons on Mar. 24 on the social media app Weverse to teach fans Korean. 
   5. Try meditation. It is important to take some time to yourself to clear your mind and truly relax. Life can get so hectic because of work, school and our personal lives, that we forget to take care of ourselves. Even if you take a few minutes every morning to take a few deep breaths and release all your stress and tension, it can help you face the frustrating situation that you might be in. 
   6. Read the book on your shelf that’s been collecting dust for months (or even years). Reading a book for pleasure is an entirely different feeling than reading it for a class assignment. If you do not like reading, it’s because you have not found the right book yet. So give that book on your shelf a chance and you’ll be amazed at the life and adventure you’ll discover within its pages. 
   7. Clean your room, if you’re up for the challenge. This is a tough one. I have not dared to attempt this yet, but looking at how things are going, this may be the last thing I have left to do to keep myself busy. Empty your junk drawer (you know you have one) and say goodbye to each item as you throw it out. This can prove to be a pretty relaxing activity because the feeling of a clean room is really satisfying. 
   8. Take out the old board games! Remember Monopoly? Operation –– the one where you try to operate on the poor guy without getting buzzed? Yahtzee? I haven’t seen these games in years. Step away from the games on your phone and take out the board games from your closet and relive childhood memories. Even a classic deck of cards can be a lot of fun; gather everyone in the house for a game of Goldfish, Old Maid or Slapjack. 
   9. Start a hobby (knitting; painting; bullet journaling; dancing; etc). There are no excuses to not try something new! YouTube is a great place to learn about your hobby from people at all levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced). Go ahead and search for a dance performance for your favorite song and teach yourself the choreography!
   10. Sleep as much as you can. This is as important as meditation. Your body needs to heal and recharge itself everyday. Avoid all-nighters; the headache in the morning is not worth it. Take advantage of sleeping in and not having to wake up for work or school anymore. After everything you have done, you deserve a good night’s sleep.