Highlights
Using this opportunity to do some cleaning and organizing will aid you in developing a sense of renewal and accomplishment also. It is a good time to re-evaluate what you consider ‘essential’.
As the schools and colleges switched to e-learning, it is the perfect time for students to do something productive with the right spirit and imagination for a more rewarded tomorrow.
In short, this is not a chance to miss of becoming a new version of yourself by learning new skills, finding forgotten hobbies and much more.
Here we have compiled a to-do list for students that will help them get out of boredom of all long days at home and explore new things-
Be a reader
Reading books from different genres can be a great use of your me-time. This not only enhances your knowledge of society, people, culture and history but reading books will help you become smarter and more empathetic. Perhaps, the secret to getting through these tough times is hidden in those books lying unread on your bookshelf from a longer time. Apart from this, one can enjoy Ruskin bond collection, the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling and many other advanced author writings.
Learn a new language
During this time, you might be listening to a lot of world news updates due to the commonality of the situation. So it’s good to pick a country, other than your own. There are foreign language apps that can help children learn simple words, easy phonetics, sentences, and numbers. This will open new avenues of education and jobs in the future. Duolingo, Memrise, and Busuu are few such free apps which you can try to learn any language from Mandarin to French and Japanese to Spanish. And learning a new language will give you an edge over others.
Practice Yoga
Many of us have desired for more time at home to get things done, and, well, now we have it. Exercising improves strength, agility, flexibility, and most importantly it helps in strengthening immunity during this Coronavirus pandemic. Practice meditation and pranayama to destress your body and relax your soul. Get up and make a healthy diet plan containing all the veggies and fruits. All these activities will help you feel more in control and become healthier while you stay at home during the lockdown.
Set goals for the rest of 2020
Some of us made a list of goals at the beginning of the year, but if you didn’t, now is a good time to go for. It will help you foresee life after the epidemic and help you prioritize tasks in the coming months. If you already have a record, have a look and revise as necessary. If you’re making a new list, be sure to include larger home projects you would like to complete, ideas for things you want to accomplish ahead in your personal and professional life.
Skill-up yourself with online courses
It’s high time that you groom yourself with skill-sets that may serve you in the future. Well-known universities are offering free/paid online courses. From machine learning to data science, python basics, AI and almost all courses you can find there. TED-Ed (ed.ted.com) is a platform that has high-quality videos on various topics. Many other online learning websites charge you for the courses, but it’s going to be well worth the time and money. You make check sites like Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, edX, and others.
Digital Detox
Finally, this lockdown trial can help you to get real about the virtual. Bring back your lost childhood board games of Ludo, Chess, Snakes, and Ladders, Monopoly and have some family activities Including music, dance, jogging, singing, yoga to keep everyone busy and together. Chat with the parents and have cherishable moments with your family members. Life is unfolding the opportunity for you to pause and breathe. Instead of wasting time, try to be the new ‘You”.
Try your Hands on cooking
It’s time to get out of bed and help your parents in baking, cooking or doing the dishes. This will bring a significant difference in your routine. You can learn how to make basic everyday items (Including rice, rotis) sandwiches, salads, etc. Older children could learn baking also. What could be more enthusiastic about capturing your expertise on a vlog (video blog) and post it on social media or simply put it all down in your diary!
Watch the top educational TV series
Select your favorite educational TV series and watch them online. The TV series available today will educate you on various topics. The National Geographic documentaries are a great way to make your learning more fantastic. If you have got access to a Netflix connection or Amazon Prime, there are a huge number of documentaries and docu-series you can watch on a variety of genres. Some of the good TV series students can go for are Man vs Wild, Reading Rainbow, Modern Marvels, MythBusters, Nat Geo Shows and so on.
Besides this, you can utilize your time in rearranging your old picture frames, handling sketches, growing saplings and configure your stuff like books, clothes, paintbrushes, stationery kit, etc. Using this opportunity to do some cleaning and organizing will aid you in developing a sense of renewal and accomplishment also. It is a good time to re-evaluate what you consider ‘essential’.
Author- Zeenat Rana, Career Counsellor/ Motivational Speaker
