With schools, restaurants and other public venues shut down due to COVID-19, people are finding themselves quarantined at home with nothing to do. Here's ten ways to occupy your time in safe, healthy and fun ways!
1. Exercise
With COVID-19 spreading rapidly and families nationwide remaining indoors, vitamin D intake is more important than ever in strengthening the immune system. Running, riding a bike, walking, hiking or doing yoga are all great ways to remain active (however tempting the couch may be) and relieve any COVID-related anxiety.
While gyms and other fitness facilities have been shut down, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has recognized the importance of spending time outdoors and has encouraged New Yorkers to go to parks. Here’s a list of parks and hiking trails open in Westchester county:
2. Read a book
Do you love to read but feel like you never have the time? Now you do! Reading is a great stress reliever, helps stimulate our memories, and often makes us more empathetic.
Click below to view a list of book recommendations from the Tower staff. Feel free to reach out to the recommender to discuss after you finish!
3. Spring cleaning
Being inside is taxing and repetitive. Decluttering could provide you with the fresh, new environment you need to stay motivated during a long self-quarantine. Do you constantly find yourself saying “I’ll do it later?” Now is your later!
4. Catch up on homework and study for AP exams
AP exams and finals always arrive before you know it… In fact, the first AP exam is scheduled for May 4, the day before Masters classes resume! Rather than waiting until the end of the month, start gathering your study materials, outlining notes and having quizzing sessions with your classmates.
Also, don’t forget about those test corrections you forgot to hand in or those APUSH notes you are three weeks behind on – take this free time as an opportunity to catch up and get ahead of the game!
5. Update yourself on current events
The spread of COVID-19 means policies and guidelines are changing by the minute. Stay updated by following a variety of print, digital and broadcast outlets consistently. Also, remember to stay informed on the primary elections and economic developments that are unfolding too.
Also, remember to follow Tower’s coverage on how COVID-19 is impacting our own local communities. Stay tuned to our instagram page @masterstower for updates on these publications.
6. Find a creative outlet
Whether it be drawing, singing, painting, scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry making, origami or learning how to play a new instrument, having a creative outlet during a self-quarantine is crucial.
Artistic engagement is another great way to de-stress amid COVID chaos, and keeps the mind active in anticipation of classes resuming on March 31.
7. Open up a puzzle or board game
Self-quarantining is the perfect time to catch up on family time at home – and what better way to cap off a productive day than cracking open Monopoly, Pictionary? Word games like boggle, scrabble or bananagrams are also great ways to keep your brain active before classes begin at the end of the month.
Out of puzzles? Click here for an online jigsaw explorer.
8. Cook a meal for your family - try out that new recipe you have been eyeing
Scroll past those Buzzfeed Tasty videos no longer! Click here for some fun and easy recipes to spice up your self-quarantine.
Or, remember that you can still support local restaurants by purchasing gift cards or ordering take-out for pickup or delivery.
9. Watch movies
Click below for movie recommendations (of a variety of genres) from our very own Cinema Society leadership.
You can also download the new, free Google Chrome extension Netflix Party (developed in response to widespread social distancing) to enjoy movies while chatting with your friends.
10. Sleep, sleep, sleep!
Rigorous courses can be taxing. Use this time to catch up on sleep and return to a more consistent sleeping schedule. Stay healthy!