By ANDY LIU, JIAQI SHI, ASHLEY LU, SOPHIA KIM, TYLER SIEGMANN, DARIEN SCHULTZ and KATIE TIAN
There are plenty of activities that you can do while you are at home, like playing video games, baking, or exercising. However, why not stick to a more traditional path and read a book? Books offer an unlimited amount of enjoyment and can bring you to another world. The familiar paper books may not be available right now, however, the app, Sora, offers a wide range of electronic and audio books that can be accessed remotely. All you need to do is find your school and log into the app to access the library, all done while sitting comfortably at home. Check out the top ten books recommended by the “New York Times.”
Borrow free ebooks or audio books through Sora. Find the link on the Jericho HS Library home page.
Binge-watching TV shows during this time is a great way to stay busy. With several streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and HBO Now, anyone with an electronic device and wifi can watch a variety of shows. For example on Netflix, “All American” or “Love is Blind” are both great shows to watch with friends and family, and the BBC original called “Killing Eve” airing on HULU is binge-worthy for anyone that loves crime and drama. As for Amazon Prime, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Fleabag” are quirky, unique comedies with excellent reviews from critics. Finally, HBO Now presents “Game of Thrones” and “Westworld” which are extremely popular shows that everyone should watch at least one episode of in their lifetime.
Netflix now has a chrome extension called “Netflix Party” which allows users to watch a show or movie with friends at the same time and comment on the sidebar.
Doing puzzles is a great way to relax and fill your spare time during this P.A.U.S.E. If you do a big puzzle, like these 1,000-piece ones, it can occupy a lot of your time. Another thing that is good about puzzles, is that there are so many different pictures. You can do one of a city you’ve visited, a pretty landscape scene, or your favorite books. The sense of accomplishment one feels after completing a big puzzle is rewarding, especially if it took a very long time. This feeling is very uplifting, important and motivating during this difficult, confusing time. Furthermore, you can discover new methods for most efficiently completing the puzzle. Maybe you like to sort all of the pieces by color, or do the border first. Whatever strategy you use, you can always change it up for a new challenge to complete the puzzle faster the next time.
One of the most beneficial activities during this time of hardship is hosting family game nights. It is critical that we take time out of our everyday lives to simply have fun and connect with the people around us. Games provide a creative outlet to reduce stress and engage with loved ones. Options can range from board games and online group games, to active outdoor games like the one pictured above.