Boredom... we all feel it at some point. Some more than others. But I’m pretty sure that its fair to say, we’ve all been bored recently. So, in this, I will bring up some hobbies that you can pick up or try out.
Reading has become my number one hobby during this confusing time but somehow the aspect of hearing someone else’s world, fictional or non-fictional, has aided me into not feeling so lonely and dull. Some books that I would recommend are- The Handmaids Tale, Emma, Angels and Demons, DaVinci Code, The Kite Runner, These Shallow Graves and The Five People You Meet In Heaven. However, without access to libraries or book stores, it is hard to get a book to read, so, you can use apps such as Wattpad. Although, this is usually used for fanfiction or crap stories written by 12 year old girls (us teens who liked 1D will know this haha), Wattpad has actually given rise to some amazing books and worlds that are worth reading and are usually quite quick to read. Many authors on Wattpad have made series out of there books meaning that you can follow on the story-line without having to wait for ages.
What I have found to be quite useful, even when I am not bored, is notebooking/scrapbooking. This hobby is easy. Find a notebook, preferably a hardback or one of decent quality, and you can draw or add in cut-outs, making for a pretty book to look at. However, one way to also use a notebook is to relate the cutouts to how you feel or something that has happened recently. This is brilliant for mental health as it allows you to write down/draw out your emotions without feeling ashamed or having the extra pressure to tell someone if you aren’t ready yet. But, to keep in mind that if you do need to speak to somebody, then there are always people around, even if you have to call them because they can’t come over. This account is also available to message if you need any support or just some company.
Some of my friends have found that all they can do is watch Netflix, although this isn’t me, I have heard some interesting things about it. Even though the aspect of watching a movie is relatively boring, there are ways to make it more fun, like document what you enjoyed about it or read up on it. My friend has conquered her need to write a Media dissertation and the boring-ness of watching a movie by writing accounts on what she has watched; covering the characters, how you feel about them, the dialogue, the plot, the important scenes. It’s also very useful to read up on the movies and their creators, this gives you an insight into their world and may also spark a passion that you never knew you had for movie directing or acting!
My family and I have always done this. We have certain times for certain genres of music. For example, when we have a family party- we listen to swing and soul. This is good for mood-relating, which might sound stupid but in a state where you feel stressed and need a pick-me-up, to have a song or a style of music that relates to a happy time that you have had, allows you to pick up your own emotions rather easily. This task can also be used in mixtaping, if you find yourself constantly going back to songs, why not burn them onto a CD? Music can also be used to dance. If you are a dancer or just love a jiggle, create a dance to your favourite song or, for those who have fallen victim due to the current circumstances, learn a tiktok dance... I know, cringe.
I know what you’re thinking. “Why would she say that!” Well, because I don’t mean speak willy-nilly to strangers. There is an app called ‘Slowly’ that allows you to have pen-pals from all over the world and, because it’s meant to imitate actual pen-palling, it takes a couple of hours to send and receive messages to allow the process to seem authentic. This is a spectacular way to learn about new cultures and make new friends from all around the world. Another thing that I have found myself doing, for all the confident people out there, is to speak to someone that you have always wanted to speak to but have never had the chance. I spend all my time thinking ‘why don’t people just go up to others and say hi?’ and the answer is, that people think that its going to be awkward or strange. The truth is, that if there is someone in your school or work or club that you have never spoken to, the chances are that they probably want to have a relationship with you as well, they’re also just scared. This is why I think this time should be used to reach out to people that you know from work or school and create a stronger relationship. It means that when we do go back into society, we have people to turn to and speak to about this horrific time.
6. Do an online college course
This is for all my little nerds out there or those who just want to be an intellectual for once. School may seem crap but we all know that when you aren’t there, you secretly miss the capability to learn new things all the time. The solution to this is the website Future Learn. This website has courses ranging from Medicine to Society and would be a great way to improve your CV or application to University/College as well as curing boredom.
Since I haven’t been using my time wisely, I’ve been ‘Motivation Bucket-listing’. This is when you make a bucket-list of your aspirations. For example, I want to go into medicine, so on my bucket-list there are many things to do with applying such as ways to volunteer or get experience. You can also make it so that beside every aspiration is why you want to do it and why you should be doing it now instead of procrastinating. This makes you more motivated to do the things you need to and not just sit about and do nothing (however, if you need a break, TAKE ONE).
8.Make Sure Everyone is Fine.
We all know someone who will be struggling during these times, so why not make sure they are okay. I have a friend who doesn’t have a lot of money and although I am unable to get in touch with him all the time, I have made sure that there are people looking out for him when I can’t be there. You can also make people little videos of why you miss them, I’ve made then containing compilations of my favourite times with them and what I want to do when we get back to normal, this has allowed us to remain close and think of the future and not dwell in the present.
Back to Wattpad. Write something small and sweet or big and in-depth. This can be a good way to spend your time but also get feedback on your literacy skills thanks to the comment section. I’m currently in the midst of writing an LGBT wattpad novel that will be out soon and have found that this is a very good way to keep on top of staying mentally active and keep my imagination running wild. You can also use Archiveofourown or even tumblr.
Everyone blows off Meditation like its something to be ignored but its extremely helpful. Meditation doesn’t need to be sitting in silence (although technically it does but this is an alternative/interpretation) you can be sitting listening to a song with your eyes closed or sitting in your back garden with the sun out. Really, its just relaxing, but its necessary for life. Many studies show that cultures that make time for relaxation have better life-styles and health rates, meaning that you could literally be making yourself a better person by doing nothing at all.
That’s all I have the now! This is based off of my own experiences with boredom so it may not be brilliant but it definitely works for me and keeps my happy. If you want to add anything or talk about anything, just message me!!
