Things to do to keep you entertained and prevent those lockdown blues
With lockdown nearing its load shedding-like schedule, and still not being allowed to leave the house (or buy alcohol…) our interns have curated a list of FREE online activities and crafts to keep you happy & healthy as we ride this wave out together.
We know, and we feel the same. So, in order for you to live your best lockdown life, here are some things you can do to pass the time and make sure you don’t get those lockdown blues. To make it easier to find something that applies to you, we have used the following categories: Lifestyle, Virtual Tours, Fun, Music and Wild Cards.
Lifestyle
Social distancing and being under a prolonged lockdown can take it’s toll on your mental well-being and sleep-schedule. Couple this with a lack of exercise and/or physical activity, and you may have a one-way ticket to bad-times town. Here are some apps and activities to prevent that.
Virgin Active has a variety of classes and movements you can get involved with, from strength training to yoga and dance classes. However, some classes will require you to be a Virgin Active member. NB: Join Virgin Active on Saturday the 9th of May for Fit Fusion, where tons of prizes are up for grabs! Better yet, it’s FREE for everyone (non-members included).
Headspace is an app you can use to help and guide you through meditations, self-reflection exercises and improve your quality of sleep. You may need to pay for an upgrade if you want the full experience, but there is a free version available
The only thing missing from this is something about healthy eating… Well it doesn’t have to be healthy, but Jack Monroe has countless easy to follow recipes that accommodate the student budget… there is even an option for microwave cooking
Virtual Tours
Although you may not be able to physically leave your house, you can virtually leave it at the click of a button. Yes, we know it isn’t the same, but it’s as good as it’s going to get for now… so bare with us. From museum tours and safaris, to exploring the deep blue sea, find a virtual paradise to escape to for a bit.
Wanting to visit the Museums of the world? From Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum to New York’s MET, Google Arts & Culture lets you view high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from around the world
Alternatively, you can explore the mysteries of the ocean through the eyes of a deep sea explorer on the Beyond Blue app
Prefer animals that live on land? No problem! Live webcams are available for many safaris, such as the Kruger Park’s WildEarth Live Streams, various other SANPark locations, as well as webcams through the &Beyond site
Fun
With such an enticing category title, we don’t blame you if you skipped through the other categories to get here. What better way to cure the lock-down boredom than with some fun? From interactive games to comedy shows, find things to play and people to watch that will keep you entertained for hours or days on end.
Board games are always a fun way to pass time with family and friends. This makes Tabletopia a great option for all board game lovers, as you can choose from over 800 different board games to play. You could make things interesting by hopping on a video call (we suggest Zoom) with those you play with
If you want to consume some good content, why not listen to a podcast or audio book? That’s exactly what NPR offers. What’s even better is that you don’t need a Spotify or Apple Music account to use it – making it completely FREE
If you are looking for a lag, look no further. If dry and witty humour with an Afrikaans accent is your thang, Schalk Bezuidenhout is your go to. If you are wanting more options, The Savanna Virtual Comedy Bar offers a virtual stage from where you can see most of the country’s top comedians – it may be dry, but you can still laugh at it…
Music
The capabilities of the internet allow you to be both creator and admirer. This means you can explore your musical creativity and possibly leave lock-down a star, or sit back and enjoy some shows that will leave you and your ears happy. Either way, feed your soul with these musical outlets.
Explore and unleash your singing talents with AirConsole. Convert your laptop into an online, multi-user karaoke machine and your phone into a microphone, and challenge your friends and family to a sing off
If you are more of the “sit back and enjoy” type, Howler has many free concerts and shows (live and offline) you can listen to (many of which would even fall into the Lifestyle category)
NPR strikes again with their tiny desk concerts, which you can watch whenever you like. From Anderson Paak to The Lumineers and everything in-between, watch them live through YouTube
Wild Cards
A wildcard typically refers to someone or something that causes uncertainty because you do not know how they will behave or what affects they may have. So here are some cool and quirky things to keep you busy – we aren’t too sure how you will react to them, but we guess time will tell? Either way, its nice to have something to do when there is nothing to do.
You either love it or hate it, but we just had to include it in this list. TikTok is the new social media platform hitting the world. You’ve probably already seen some of the videos on other social media platforms. All we are saying is, don’t hate it until you try it
Ever heard of a trend called Upcycling? It’s basically when you take something considered waste or useless (about to be thrown/given away) and you transform it into something more functional and beautiful than before. Pretty cool right? We thought so to, so why not head over to Upcycle and give it a try for yourself. They show you what you will need and explain the whole process in an easy to follow way
If you are feeling that productive energy and are wanting to leave lock-down with a new skill, why not try learning a foreign language? It’s great for the CV, and even better when trying to impress friends. Whatever your reasoning, Duolingo has got you covered with fun and interactive lessons
That brings us to the end of our recommendations. We hope you found something that tickles your fancy, or at least keeps you happy, busy or entertained for a while. Remember to keep a positive attitude and look for those silver linings, and remind yourself that this too shall pass.
