There’s an old adage that goes “I’m bored in the house and I’m in the house bored,” which many college students, such as myself, have been resonating with lately.
Even after taking up several new hobbies it’s hard to shake the lulls of boredom when one is home all day everyday. With work usually taking up a significant chunk of my day, I’ve now found myself with hours of free time.
My first few weeks of quarantine were mainly spent adjusting to online school and this “new normal” way of life.
I am an extrovert and so much of my day used to revolve around outside activities, so acclimating to life strictly at home took some time. I was also so used to seeing friends on a daily basis but video chatting has allowed me to stay social even when I can’t leave the house.
As I am sure many of my peers can attest to, online school is both easy and hard.
Zoom classes have allowed us to stay in touch with professors and students, but many of us need the structure of campus life and in-person classes to stay driven. Although class from the comfort of your own home sounds appealing, it has many students, myself included, lacking focus.
Aside from school, I did recently take up a few personal projects and hobbies to keep myself occupied.
I’ve always played piano but in recent weeks I’ve been learning how to produce music which is something that I may have not had the time for otherwise.
I’ve also taken up painting which I’ve especially enjoyed since I can include my younger sister in my projects and that allows us to bond while we’re both home.
I’ve been able to participate in online volunteering projects, as well as work on my own non-profit which is something I’d always wished I had more time for.
The most important thing for me has been staying active even if that means just doing laundry because as long as I’m occupied I’m not bored.
I’ve also been taking my dogs on walks regularly, making sure to walk far from people, which is my favorite activity since I can actually get out of the house.
Boredom aside, however, I’ve used this down time to do some inner reflection, as cliche as that may sound. I’ve been able to really sit down and process my goals and how I plan to achieve them.
We live in a fast paced world where many people forget to slow down and relax, so as chaotic as this time may feel, I believe there will be a lot of good that comes from it.
