Interesting Past Times
We all have been under ‘house-arrest’ ever since the end of the Chinese New Year holiday back in January. In the past, we always craved more time at home; today, we long for time outside. To help you make the most of this time, here are the top 10 things you can do at home!
1. Learn a language
Learning a language may be difficult at first, however, you have all the time you need to make this work at home! There are endless sites and videos that you can get your hands on to learn the basics of a language. Moreover, our peers around us are from all over the world, you can always go and ask them if you have any questions about that language, or even practice with them!
2. Make a Vision Board/ Scrapbook
This is an interesting alternative to organize your thoughts, ideas, and goals. By taking the time to lay out these things in the form of pictures, you’re allowing yourself to visualize your ideas. If you enjoy arts and crafts, designing a scrapbook would be right down your alley! Personally, I don’t have the patience to print out pictures and therefore I use Pinterest or Google Keep to do so. You are in total control of the design and content of the vision board!
3. Phone your friends
I suppose all of us have been texting to chat with our friends, however, we should not ignore the importance of maintaining a face-to-face relationship with your friends who cannot go outside! Give your friends a phone call, or a video call and talk with them!
4. Netflix
I understand not everyone has a Netflix account...but hear me out! If you’re feeling bored staying at home, I’ll definitely recommend watching a movie/ tv show. We all need some days lying comfortably in bed and just relax!
To get you started, here are some shows on Netflix that are quite popular:
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
The Umbrella Acadamy
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Cheer
Love is Blind
Crash Landing on You
Friends
Busted
Stranger Things
...and much more!
5. Practice an instrument
Research shows that music can boost happiness and reduce anxiety.
We all know that the busy and rigorous schedule during school days barely allows us to have time to spare. Whether it is going to your piano, guitar or drum (or any instrument you play really) and playing something classical or pop. If you’re sick and tired of going on the internet all day, immersing yourself in music would be a way to destress.
6. TikTok
Before you go on and cringe at the app, maybe give it a chance, as many people found it interesting!
This is a nice past time because not only there are some interesting and funny videos on the app, you also get to have fun with it by filming different videos. I recommend getting this app with your friends so that you can share funny videos or have a ‘duet’ with them… you’ll be surprised by how many people you know are on this app!
7. Simple workouts at home
Exercising not necessarily have to happen at a gym or at a pool, there are various workouts that you can do with a yoga mat...or less. Simple movements such as jumping jacks or planks are more beneficial than you know! Simply type ‘At Home Workout’ on Google or Youtube and there are hundreds of workouts you can do! Just find one that suits you.
8. Go outside!
The air is certainly fresher in an open area. It is one of the few activities that don’t require a mask. It has elements of cardio and a hangout activity with your friends, moreover, the view up there is impeccable. There are trails all around Hong Kong, so just choose a route that you’d enjoy!
Secondly, some research shows that Vitamin D plays a role in fighting the Coronavirus. We all know that the sun is a source for Vitamin D. Although it is not proven that Vitamin D can kill the virus. Nonetheless, going out in the sun and having a good time at the beach with your friends is an interesting past time.
9. Reading
If you’ve been putting off reading a book for your Extended Essay, or some book that you’ve been longing to read on your bookshelf, why not use this period of time to complete that book? It is a great past-time that allows you to have some screen-time off and can be very rewarding!
10. Cook
We all love some good food. However, at this time, we cannot go out to enjoy food as much as we want to. So why not take a trip to the supermarket, or even use the ingredients available at home, and cook something for you and your family! If you’re living with your grandparents or have a helper at home, you can even ask them to teach you some of their recipes!
But remember, we all still have home-learning to do, so don’t get too caught up binge-watching television! Strive for a balance between school and past times and stay safe (and hygienic) wherever you go!
Bibliography
https://mycroft.ai/blog/languages-are-hard/
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to-music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713#1
https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/great-outdoors/hikes/index.jsp