While the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, public health authorities are crediting social distancing and self-quarantining with keeping infection rates lower than predicted.

Most non-essential public places are closed, including schools, universities, and movie theaters.

Staying home can be crazy-making, but there are a lot of ways to keep busy at home.

1.) Go online shopping: According to a New York Times article, online orders have been surging. For now, this is the new normal, but disinfecting packages is important as the virus can remain on surfaces for up to 24 hours. You can also go cashless by using apps from which you can make your payments and also learn how to get free money. This will help you shop without having to be in contact with anyone and at the same time have the ability to earn some extra cash during quarantine.
2.) Get into new shows: There is no time like the present to start watching new shows. According to the New York Times, “Unorthodox,” “I Am Not Okay With This,” “Gentefied,” and “Grace and Frankie” are among the best shows to watch on Netflix, and “Diary of a Future President,” “The Mandalorian,” “Gravity Falls,” and “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made” are some of the best shows to stream on Disney Plus right now. Grab some popcorn and get to watching. Time isn’t going anywhere.
3.) Connect with others virtually: With video chatting, conferencing services and apps like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime, virtually communicating with friends and family members is easier than ever before. Without being able to go to the movies or to the park, Netflix Parties are the next best option. And if viewers don’t like the selections on Netflix and would rather watch something on Disney or Hulu, they can simply enable the screen sharing feature on Zoom to be able to watch shows or movies together. A Republic World article explains how to enable the feature.
4.) Pull pranks on family members: Right now, people want to be entertained. Users of the social media platform TikTok are constantly sharing pranks they pull on friends and family members, from chewing on spaghetti to mimic the cracking of bones, to having a loved one line their face up with a bottle of water to only have it squeezed in their face. Take a note from TikTok and have a laugh.

As for students, the University of New Haven is offering virtual activities. With the university’s closure, many clubs and organizations have gone virtual, such as Charger Recreation with video game tournaments, virtual GroupX, Plato App tournaments, and virtual viewing parties.

The Center for Student Engagement, Leadership, and Orientation is also offering virtual activities such as trivia nights, virtual Pictionary, and virtual scavenger hunts. For more information or questions, send them an email at [email protected].