As time passes, it becomes increasingly apparent that our current crisis, the infamous COVID-19, will keep us on lockdown indoors. Sporting events, concerts, and any other viable public gatherings have been cancelled or postponed, giving students, staff, and parents more free time than they hoped for. So what exactly can you do with all this free time?

Typically, I’d suggest hanging out with your friends, going on a hike, or driving around town, but if your parents are anything like mine and are firm believers of social distancing, it’s quite obvious that these are no longer options.

Instead, there are many viable options that can allow you to have fun while still being at least 6 feet away from your friends. Any of these options can be done with people outside of your family, but it would be smartest to engage in activities within members of your family for now.

If you have a large backyard, you could get your family to play an outdoor game with you. It’s very important to spend time outside, so rally up your parents and siblings, and challenge them to a soccer match, a basketball tournament, or something new and unconventional that you came up with on the spot.

The outdoors would also be a good place to do a workout, but any spacious rooms indoors would work, too. If you want to start summer with that Instagrammable summer body, do a couple of crunches, Russian twists, sit-ups and more. This quarantine offers an excellent opportunity for you to work on yourself physically and emotionally, so take advantage of that!

Some of the basic distraction methods include baking or cooking. Try out a new recipe, or help your parents prepare lunch. Cooking allows you to feel productive, and you can get creative with it! You could experiment with new ways to ice cakes, aesthetically platter food, or spice up an old, overused recipe. For some extra fun, play some up-beat music in the background, and challenge your siblings to a goofy dance-off. Before you know it, your 45-minute culinary session turns into a jam-packed hour of silly shenanigans.

Another way to let your creative mind run free is to paint, draw, or write. Your subjects don’t have to be anything specific; simply doodle or free write until you find a concept you like, and go with it! Don’t stress about making the next New York Times best-selling novel, or a piece of art worthy of the Louvre museum; the idea is that you have fun with what you’re doing.

Or maybe instead of writing a book, read one instead. This is also a great way to enhance your reading abilities in preparation for the SATs and ACTs without actually having to pick up a prep book.

If you’ve been meaning to explore yourself, use these next few days as an opportunity to find a new style or aesthetic. Really go out of your comfort zone and wear at home that one shirt you really love but don’t think you’ll look good in. Try new hairstyles, makeup, and more. Build up your confidence and have a photoshoot with yourself. And as cheesy as it might be, you could try learning or making TikTok dances.

Thankfully, we live in the digital age, where communication is made much more accessible online. If you’re feeling lonely, FaceTime your friends. Play video games with them, watch Netflix together, or talk about whatever subjects cross your mind. Snapchat your crush; you won’t be seeing them for the next few days, so what have you got to lose?

And of course, who would I be if I didn’t suggest studying for upcoming exams? If you have a math test you know you’re going to do poorly on, start studying for it. Juniors, sophomores, and seniors could also take a few practice SAT, ACT, and/or AP exams. Although COVID-19 did postpone many testing dates, it did not cancel them altogether, so it would be smart for you to start preparing now.

There are, of course, a plethora of activities and hobbies you can explore. The important part is that you have fun while doing it, so that you can beat this COVID-caused boredom effectively. Don’t forget to practice social distancing and proper hygiene, so that we protect those at high risk and can get this pandemic over with sooner. And remember to finish all of your online class work before distracting yourself with these fun activities. Stay safe!