Days in quarantine seems to spill into one another. I find myself often getting extremely frustrated for no real reason except the monotony of the days themselves. I would like to give a few suggestions of productive and fun ways to pass the time.
Pick up a language
I downloaded the app Duolingo a couple months ago, and have been glued to it ever since. Duolingo has 23 languages to choose from (these days I have been jumping between learning German and Italian). The lessons are compact and surprisingly addictive, and as the user progresses and improves at their chosen language, Duolingo unlocks more lessons. While international travel has somewhat halted for the near future, it is prudent that we brush up on or pick up a new language for the day when we are able to waltz down the streets of Florence or Berlin. Language learning apps like Duo, Babbel and Rosetta Stone can help to transport us from our sofas to the streets of Naples or Mumbai or Tokyo.
Learn, Learn, Learn
Use this time to do some much needed self-exploration. Allow yourself to delve into topics that have always piqued your interest, but you may have never had time to explore before. Coursera offers thousands of free online courses, many of which are affiliated with universities and colleges, and are even taught by professors. If you are itching to get a taste of the real college experience, take an online college course for credit, and familiarize yourself with the fast-paced nature of college courses.
I have found myself being drawn to podcasts during this time. The Science Magazine podcast is one of my particular favorites. The Science Magazine generally explores two topics in one podcast, which is usually between 15 to 20 minutes in length. I just recently listened to one jam-packed podcast entitled “Dog noses detect heat, the world faces coronavirus, and scientists search for extraterrestrial life.” Did you know dogs’ noses are 100,000,000 times more sensitive than human noses?
Host Sarah Crespi asks experts just the right questions to keep the listener engaged and on-track throughout.
Another one of my favorite podcasts is BrainStuff by iHeartRadio. These short bites of information (they average around 5 minutes in length) are extremely engaging and probe into a wide array of topics. A couple of my favorites include How Did the Mason Dixie line come to divide the North from the South? and Why is Blood Red?
