As the world reacts to the coronavirus pandemic, people across the world are staying home, quarantining and practicing social distancing. It is safe to say many of us have found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands. Instead of spending your quarantine days in boredom, use this rare moment in your life to start a new hobby, pick up a project, and learn new things. From the comfort of your couch, you can explore the Louvre in Paris, join an online cooking demonstration from a world-famous chef, and sit down to a breathtaking performance from the Bolshoi Ballet. Here are a few leisure activities that will hopefully keep you entertained, informed, and put a smile on your face during this unfortunate pandemic.
- Get “outside” through five virtual tours by Google Arts & Culture of the Kenai Fjords National Park, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park. You can enjoy the beauty of the natural world, from desert vistas to snowy terrains, while sitting safely in your homes.
- Even though Disney parks around the world are currently closed, you can still explore these immersive spots through virtual rides at Tokyo DisneySea, Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disneyland. From iconic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean to new rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, there is an option for everyone to bring the Disney magic home.
- Celebrities are also stuck at home right now and are using this time to give live performances and teach us classes through MasterClass. Bring home the flavors of your favorite destinations with a class by Gordan Ramsey; learn comedy with Steve Martin; singing with Christina Aguilera; self-expression and authenticity with RuPaul; makeup with Bobbi Brown; and interior design with Kelly Wearstler. If you are feeling a bit sluggish during the lockdown, get moving with ballet taught by Misty Copeland, basketball taught by Steph Curry, or tennis taught by Serena Williams.
- Amid these trying times, Yale University’s popular “happiness” course is now available online for free via Coursera. Titled “The Science of Well-Being,” the online course features lectures by psychology professor Laurie Santos on discovering what makes humans truly happy.
- Explore museums, art, and culture at home through virtual tours and online exhibits by over 2500 museums and galleries around the world, including the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Especially for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies, these museums are great for you to gain knowledge about art, history, and science.
- Theaters have also started to stream online shows: the Metropolitan Opera is streaming encore performances of some of its most famed shows, the Moscow Company is streaming full performances of its ballets like The Nutcracker, and the Globe Theater is streaming some of its most iconic Shakespeare’s plays on Youtube.
Lastly, being stuck at home may be the perfect excuse to tackle that pile of books you’ve been meaning to read. With bookstores and libraries closing across the U.S. due to the coronavirus, an app called Libby connects local libraries’ ebooks, magazines, comic books, and audiobooks all with a touch of a button. With thousands of e-books and audio books available for free, it is like having a local library on your phone.
Article by Nicole Fang of Richard Montgomery High School
Photo Courtesy of Pixabay