As quarantine is coming to an end, everyone is still bored out of their minds with different types of restrictions out there. I have to believe that most people have just been binging new and old shows on Netflix because that is what I have been doing as well. Everyday though I have been trying to find new things to do with family and friends, while (of course) being socially distanced.
1. Arts and Crafts
Over this time I have been really into the arts. If it is from coloring to painting, making masks for your friends, and especially making friendship bracelets, I'm interested. As I talk to every single one of my friends, one of the main things they have been doing on their free time is painting and making friendship bracelets for yourself, friends, and family. This is a great stress reliever due to that you can just focus on that task for a moment in time, and not on what is happening around you.
2. Circle Time
Photo by Family Blog
Circle time is what me and my friends call hanging out in a parking lot. We all drive over to our high school and create a circle with our cars and either sit in our trunks on in lawn chairs and just talk for hours. Sometimes this get together involves getting ice cream or food during or before. These "circle times" have helped us normalize the new ways to hang out with people because even though we can't be closer than six feet it has helped keep sane by seeing each other once to maybe three times a week.
3. Make a new playlist
Photo by Syncios
Whether it is on Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, or any other platform making a new playlist can be very calming in a time of stress. I have both Spotify and Apple Music which has allowed me to find new bands and artists that I know listen to constantly. I have also discovered good playlists that have already been made on both outlets.
Here are a couple from Apple Music that I love: Women in Music, Top 100: USA, Party Starters, and Sad Face :(.
Here are the ones from Spotify: Good Vibes, Love Songs & Chill, and Songs to Sing in the Shower.
All of these playlists are all over the place whether it is country, rap, R&B, alternative, etc. I enjoy listening to pre-made playlists and making my own because I can make however many I want with whatever music I want.
4. Anything involving a car
Photo by Extreme Tech
Even though you can't hang out with your friends right now and drive around with them, anything involving cars can still be exciting. So some fun activities that I have been doing are driving around with my sister and getting either Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks, or ice cream.
If you need recommendations from Dunkin, I always go with a medium iced coffee, two sugars, and almond milk. But from Starbucks, I love their Passion Tango Iced Tea unsweetened of course. I have also been cleaning my car and my parents' cars, which isn't the best, but you can make it fun with those playlists you made from above or making your sibling help you.
5. Card and Board Games
Photo by Vivian Lawry
Board games are the best when you are bored. I love playing memory with the kids I babysit or my sister. Monopoly is also always a good one, or the game Life. For card games I have learned how to play Rummy, Spit, War, and many others. These types of games are always fun to play with your family as a whole or just with a sibling. Even though I never win, I always have a good time playing them with family and friends because they can become very competitive.
