Adventures From Home: Broadening Your Horizons During COVID-19

After a year of quarantine, lockdowns and restrictions, it can be challenging to know how to spend your time. Many people exhausted their lists of hobbies and home activities to try months ago.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of ways to keep yourself entertained at home, with a bit of imagination and forethought. Here are some of the best ways that you can broaden your horizons from home in 2021.

Get Convention Ready
It has been over a year since we were able to walk the hallowed halls of a convention centre. For many, it is still uncertain when they will next be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of a convention.

You could consider making your convention plans regardless. While it may be frustrating to plan an event with no set date, it can also help you envision the coming months and years as things return to normal. Start brainstorming ideas for cosplay, which conventions you want to go to, and who you want to go with.

You could even consider working COVID safety into your convention costumes, such as creating a cosplay of Batman’s Bane or Deadpool. These characters have face coverings as a part of their traditional comic attire, making them perfect for COVID-safe interactions.

Re-Watch The Cult Classics
We may all be Netflixed out thanks to the abundance of free time we’ve had over the past year. If you’re after something to watch, you could consider revisiting some of the classics. Whether it’s TV like Buffy The Vampire Slayer, or re-watching film series like Star Wars or Lord Of The Rings, re-watching old favourites can be an excellent way to pass the time.

You could also consider getting your friends on board and have a virtual watch along. Discord, Google Meet and Zoom all have screen sharing capabilities, so you can watch together and enjoy a pop culture movie night with all your best friends.

Start A New Game
Gaming has been a lifeline for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as being great fun, online games let you connect and socialise with friends and other players.

If you’re feeling a little aimless in your gameplay, you could consider starting a whole new game. There’s nothing more energising and exciting than starting a new game, and you could consider starting a type of game that you’ve never played before. For instance, if you’re more of an adventure/strategy gamer, you could try out a first-person shooter instead.

Don’t worry if starting a new game feels a little daunting; there is a lot of help out there if you need it. Check out this website for some tips and tricks to make the most out of your new gaming experience. IWantCheats has advice and hacks for many different games, such as Modern Warfare, Warzone and more.

Take A Virtual Trip
If you’ve been longing to get back to the outside world, then there are a few options for at-home virtual adventures. While this may not be quite as exciting and refreshing as leaving the house for real, it can help to tide you over until places are open again.

If you’ve missed travelling, you could consider taking virtual tours of cities, national parks or museums and art galleries. There are plenty of options, both free and paid, to help you reconnect with the wider world – and give you ideas for activities once we are free to move around again.

You could consider making a day out of it by setting up your living room as a cosy retreat from the world while you watch a guided tour of nature or culture.

Try Out Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) is the newest big thing in gaming and entertainment. VR can help you experience new things from the comfort of your living room. If you’re a bit of a thrill-seeker, why not use VR to experience a rollercoaster ride. If improving your fitness levels is one of your goals, you could consider getting a VR set that allows you to play sports like tennis – just make sure you have plenty of room to manoeuvre!

Read A New Graphic Novel
Reading can be a great form of escapism and fun, whether it’s traditional print, a comic book, graphic novel or anything in between.

You could consider investing in a new graphic novel to help transport you to a different time and place. There are so many graphic novels out there to choose from, you’re sure to find one that suits your taste.

Learn To Code
Fancy creating your own video game, rather than playing those made for you? Learning to code could help you become a games developer in your own right. If this is the ideal career path for you, you could consider using your extra free time to do an online coding course. There are free online resources to help you get started, such as the Khan Academy’s programming course.

Rearrange Your Space
You can achieve a change in your surroundings even at home. You could consider having a thorough declutter of your space, whether it’s your DVD shelf, gaming desk or bookshelves. Rearranging furniture and belongings can help a room seem like a whole new place, and there’s no better time than during the pandemic to try this out.

Consider starting with one space if decluttering feels like a bit of a daunting task. You will immediately feel the benefits of a clearer space, improving your overall productivity and creativity.

Final Thoughts
There are plenty of fun activities to help you get through the next few months of restrictions. You could consider doing some research into the options available and see which work for you. It is important to remember that everyone struggles during challenging times, and it’s okay not to have your life in perfect order. Go easy on yourself, and if you’re struggling, try starting something small, like the first level on a new game. Baby steps can be the best way to get through difficult times.