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COVID-19 has most of us home, bored and going stir crazy from lack of work, events and friends to keep us preoccupied. Here are 10 budget friendly things to keep yourself busy during the stay at home orders.

1. Stay connected
One of the relationships we are deprived of during this quarantine is quality time with friends. Netflix Party, a Chrome extension, is a way to watch shows together with friends. Once everyone is in a party, there is a chatroom on the side bar where friends can discuss the show or movie decided on while still watching. A new highly recommended series sure to create discussion is Tiger King. While this extension only works with Netflix, there is a decent selection of shows to start.

2. Draw or color
Whether freehand drawing or coloring what other artists have designed, drawing and coloring inspiration can be found on a lot of social media accounts right now. Some online accounts, such as Twitter user artbylitzy, are offering free prints to color or paint. Instagram and Twitter are some places to look for artists offering free or low cost prints to support artists who are also struggling during this time.

3. Visit museums
Thousands of museums have made it so anyone with a computer and internet access can virtually visit them while they’re closed right now. Viewers can take a look around and then decide to research the pieces on their own or visit whichever museum’s website for more information.

4. Learn about cute animals
Animal Tracks Inc., a non-profit animal rescue that hosts more exotic animals, does a livestream everyday where viewers can learn about the daily featured animal. Staff present a basic rundown on the animal, the history of the specific animal they have and host a Q&A. They offer this for free but encourage viewers to donate if they are able to.

5. Podcasts
Most podcasts now are offered on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for free. Most series are well researched or help pass the time. This is good if you want some background noise or something to distract you while cleaning or doing chores. There are many genres of podcasts available whether it be meditation, true crime, news or more. Recommendations to check out are Dr. Death, Sibling Rivalry and My Favorite Murder.

6. Read
While classes are still going on, some reading outside of school may be great to keep the mind busy. Libby is a free app that allows access to any Los Angeles County library you have a card. App users are able to place holds, rent and return books with a click of a button. They even have audiobooks to rent. The app does take a few weeks to allow you to download, so sign up as soon as possible.

Audible, which offers audiobooks on a monthly subscription basis has also opened up books for free download for students during this time

7. Paint
Anyone at home all day or on reduced work hours is finding themselves with more time on their hands than they would like. Some ways to pass the time are picking up a creative hobby to de-stress, get your mind off things and maybe even fall in love with a new hobby. Finding cheaper and thinner canvas’ and paints from your local Walmart is an economic yet relaxing way to pass the time. Some paints can be found as low as 50 cents. Design ideas can be freehand, drawn or a picture of whatever the painter desires.

8. Work out
Working out is probably the last thing anyone willingly wants to do. With the added stress of a global pandemic, being out of work or having cut hours and school, it wouldn’t hurt to try working out a few times a week to release some stress.

Adidas offers an app that does timed set workouts where the app user can pick how long the workout session is.

City of Angels Boxing, a local L.A. boxing gym, is also offering free livestream classes on their Facebook for anyone trying to stay fit during quarantine.

Isabella Lujan/ Courier
A yoga mat, set of weights, and resistance band on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

9. Do yoga
Yogavibela is an Instagram account that offers Zoom yoga sessions to go along with live. They are a yoga studio in L.A. that had to close because of COVID-19. They started out offering free Instagram live streams with teachers promoting their venmo to donate to but moved to $5 drop in fees to help support the stores’ staff who are leading sessions. According to co-owner Larry Santiago, the classes are open to all levels so whether someone is experienced or new, they are welcome.

“The reception has been amazing,” Santiago told the Courier. “We just hope people will continue to choose to support a locally owned, non-corporate, independent business and yoga studio.”

10. Clean
While another not-so-fun activity, cleaning can be a great distraction during quarantine. This is a perfect time to declutter the bedroom, go through possessions and set things aside for trash or donation. Try not to become overwhelmed with doing everything all at once, but set goals for the day or the week on what areas to tackle first.

Victoria Ivie
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