Make some Tik Toks! This one was probably the easiest. The app is free and all you have to do is press record. Of course, you can always add fun filters and dances or whatever, but, hey! You can also just partake in endless hours of scrolling!
Join A New CHS Group On Schoology: I personally recommend the NYTimes Mini and the NYT Tiles Group. Both are free, unlike the actual NYT. People compete for high scores. Plus, the NYT also has a “games” page where you can play up to 3 old crosswords a week.
Watch Netflix with other people using Netflix Party: This allows you to have a movie night with your friends without actually being near each other. There’s lots of great TV shows and movies to choose from and tons of time to watch them. Other applications exist for different platforms, so look around if you have a specific streaming service in mind.
Play Minecraft! Yeah, ok, of course this one is here. You can join a server (yes, someone has to pay for, but arguably absolutely worth it) with your friends, which is great for mimicking real social interactions! It’s easy to learn and easy to re-learn. People that haven’t played in forever – did you know they have bees now? Plus, it’s cross-platform, which means that people with PC, Playstation, and Xbox can all play together if it’s set up right.
Grow Some Fruits/Veggies from Scratch! You can look up any tutorial online or you can check out the CHS garden club resources folder (3QTRB-MSDN, yes it’s shameless self-promotion me being the head of the club and all). I personally recommend tomatoes cause they’re easy to keep alive and high-yielding, but strawberries are also a really cool option if you want something a little more challenging.
Try Out A New Craft! I picked friendship bracelets (only 6.99 for a pack of 100+ on amazon!) and after failing at three bracelets, I finally kind of got the hang at it. It’s ranked in the “medium” category because a new craft can take lots of trial and error until you get the technique down. Once you do, it can be loads of fun!
Cook Something! This is seven because 1. You have to use what you have at home- please do not go out to the grocery store for new ingredients and 2. It can be hard to create something fresh-tasting yet complex when you have to use pantry staples. I chose homemade pasta and homemade marinara sauce with fresh basil since I have some fresh tomatoes, basil, and eggs on hand. However, two really easy recipes using pantry staples are fried rice and chicken noodle soup. Each of these can be made vegan or vegetarian by using vegetable broth or oil instead of butter. Also, bread is fun and easy to make. You can make it without yeast. Make the dough. Knead the dough. Drown your sorrow in the dough. Make 7 loaves. Bread. Good for the soul.
Write Us An Op-Ed: This one is at eight, not because writing is going to be hard, per se, but because you might end up sounding like BuzzFeed because you don’t want to sound all doom-and-gloom and then you have a run-on sentence and then people might make fun of you. But hey! We’d love to hear from you! Email andrewharper@chatham-nj.org if you’re interested!
Paint Your Non-School Issued Calculator or Something Else: Ok, so to be fair, I painted mine during the summer, but I’ve been doing touch-ups. Other fun ideas include jars, pots, light switch covers (Ask first!).
Cycle A Fish Tank! Have you always wanted a fish or realized you had to find a way to keep a bunch of fish in an aquaponic system from dying? Well, this one’s for you! Spend your weeks cycling a fish tank, which is a fancy way of saying “get some good bacteria up in there.” It’s kind of difficult, which is why it’s number ten. Hey, it’s unique and novel! Remember to wash your hands. Please.
