Stuck at home with nothing to do? We’ve got you covered! 

From quirky text adventure games to making your own miniatures, here are all the super cool things you can do while being all cooped up at home. 

Watch something

#1. Marathon a movie franchise

Whether they’ve been on your must-watch list or you’re looking to indulge in some nostalgia, binge-watching a movie franchise is a great way to pass time and escape from reality. 

Go for the super famous Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars franchise or dive deep into the ghoulish universe of Universal Classic Monsters. If you’re in for some fantasy, get into the Harry Potter and the Wizarding World franchise or check out The Lord of the Rings series. 

#2. Watch Parasite, the 4-time Academy Award winning film

Trust us when we say it’s worth the hype. As the first non-English film to ever win the prestigious Best Picture category, it’s also the first South Korean film to win the Palme d'Or, the most prestigious award from the international Cannes Film Festival.

If you’re looking for more amazing foreign films, check out Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love or Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, often described as “the first Iranian vampire western” film.

#3. Sink your teeth into some great documentaries

Watch the award-winning White Helmets, a short documentary following the volunteers who put their lives on the line to save civilians caught in the turmoil and violence in Syria and Turkey. Or lose yourself in David Attenborough’s narration in Blue Planet II, where you can discover the mysterious underwater with the help of new technology. 

#4. Binge-watch everyone’s latest obsession

Feeling left out from all the Game of Thrones and Money Heist conversations? Now’s the time to catch up! Other new and noteworthy series include Euphoria, Hollywood and Little Fires Everywhere.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can revisit the classics like The Sopranos and Doctor Who or pick up some animated shows like Batman: The Animated Series. 

#5. Attend a virtual concert

Did you know that you could watch live performances of iconic bands like Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance — all on their official YouTube channels? There’s also the recent One World: Together at Home that’s packed with performances from stars such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Elton John.

And if you have a Netflix subscription, there’s a ton of concerts and music documentaries for you to dive into, such as the Taylor Swift Reputation tour and Beyonce’s full Coachella performance with some interesting behind-the-scenes to boot!

Play something

#6. Immerse yourself in some cool video games

Tired of watching movies? There’s a world of exciting video games waiting for you. 

Fancy a first-person shooter game? Check out Halo and Call of Duty. If you’re feeling spooky, get into survival horrors like the Resident Evil or Silent Hill franchises. For shorter but equally scary games, check out the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise.

You can even play games related to your studies. There’s a game for every console and genre out there, so don’t ever worry about running out of options. 

#7. Play a choice-based games

Have you ever heard of choice-based and text adventure games where the choices you make can actively affect the gameplay? It’s a great alternative to reading novels because it incorporates the reading aspect with the active participation feature of a gameplay.

Go on a wacky text adventure with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy BBC game or discover all the pathways possible with choice-based games like the fantastical Blackstone Academy of the Magical Arts where your choices control the story. 

Here’s the best part — you don’t need an expensive gaming computer to run these fun games! 

#8. Hang out with tabletop games

Bond with your household members with a galore of tabletop games. 

Explore the classics like Scrabble and Monopoly or dive into lesser-known but equally fun Smash Up and Ticket to Ride. If board games are too much of a hassle, try out fun but simple card games like Uno and Cards Against Humanity. The latter even has an online version. 

#9. Go crazy with role-playing games

Did you know that Joe Manganiello is a huge fan of role-playing games, specifically the famous Dungeons and Dragons? Unlike most games out there, role-playing games, or RPG, require almost nothing on your part except for a guidebook and an imagination.

Gather up your friends on Discord or Google Hangouts and go on an RPG adventure. Aside from the obvious Dungeons and Dragons, you can try out different genres like horror (Bluebeard’s Bride) or action (Masks). 

Read something

#10. Finish a book series

Now’s a good time as any for you to start digging into all those expansive book series you never got around to reading.

If you’re looking for some suggestions, you can never go wrong with J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials or Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. 

For those looking for complex and expansive world-building, you can also dig into fan-favourite Frank Herbert’s original 5-books Dune universe and its subsequent titles from Frank’s son Brian Herbert (its movie adaptation is coming out at the end of this year).

#11. Brush up on your classics

Take advantage of the free one-month subscription trial on Scribd and dig into all the must-read classics that you have never read.

Learn more about the white whale of destiny with Herman Melville’s Moby Dick or discover why Shakespeare was considered ahead of his time when you go through his plays like Romeo and Juliet and The Merchant of Venice.

#12. Read a non-fiction book

Be inspired with biographies like Becoming by Michelle Obama, A Doctor in the House by Tun Dr. Mahathir and Frida by Hayden Herrera. 

Looking to improve your understanding of historical events? Check out Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl or learn about the history of the Tudors with Alison Weir’s The Six Wives of Henry the VIII.

#13. Get into comics

Superheroes are all the rage right now and if you’re a fan, why not get into the medium where the genre has thrived for years? Get to know your Marvel and DC superheroes in its original comic book form. 

If you’re looking for a simple and short read, check out Sunday strip classics like the evergreen Calvin and Hobbes or the super-relatable Garfield. You can also read comics by local talents at the New Naratif website or discover the lost traditions of kampung life with Lat the Kampung Boy.

Write something

#14. Start a journal

Daily life may be boring for you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start writing a journal. 

Record everything, even the simplest most boring thing, because one day, these will serve as fond memories you can look back to. Aside from immortalising your life, journaling helps you improve your writing skills on top of boosting your memory and giving you a chance to self-reflect. 

#15. Write a novel

If you’ve been planning to write a novel, then this is the perfect time to start. When else are you gonna have all this time to waste? 

Get a pen and paper, or whatever writing medium you prefer, and start writing. Remember, the first draft is never perfect. Just get everything you want to say on that paper. 

#16. Write your own game

Yes, you can actually do that!

If you’re interested in text adventures or choice-based games, why not try creating one yourself? Tools like Twine, Inform and Quest let you write games without having to worry about all the complex coding stuff. Do a spin of your favourite films or create an entirely original storyline and start creating your own interactive games now. 

#17. Start a personal blog

It’s the age of the internet and personal branding is everything. One way you can do this is to start your own blog. 

Find your own passion and start writing about it. Are you a fan of films? Write your review and analysis on it. Are weird historical events your thing? Start a blog on it.

Don’t concern yourself with finding a niche audience to cater to. Instead, find your passion and let it speak for itself.

Cook or make something

#18. Brew some Dalgona Coffee

Originally a Korean candy recipe, this internet-breaking drink requires only 5 ingredients — coffee powder, sugar, milk, water and a will of iron. Don’t worry, you can substitute the last one with an electric mixer.

Mix the coffee powder, sugar and hot water to a 1:1:1 ratio until the sugar dissolves. Then, whisk it (manually or with an electric mixer) until it gets all fluffy. Serve it on top of iced milk and voila, you’re a barista. 

#19. Bake something

Craving for something sweet? Take up basic baking recipes like a simple sponge or chocolate cake or go crazy with harder challenges like the Malted Chocolate Drip Cake or the technical Topsy Turvy cake.

Baking is not just for cakes. Instead of going out every couple of days to get new bread loaf, why not try making one yourself? Regular or sourdough bread — it’s up to you.

#20. Recreate your favourite takeouts

Nothing quite beats the experience of eating at a restaurant. If you’re stuck at home with no way of getting your favourite dish delivered to you, take matters into hand and make it yourself. 

Improve your cooking skills and learn how to make your own sushi or Korean fried chicken. Who knows, your meal might even taste better than the regular takeouts.

Pick up something new

#21. Learn calligraphy

If you’re a fan of the flair and drama, then maybe it’s time to learn calligraphy — the execution of lettering with a writing instrument. Write dramatic grocery lists or send letters to your friend in style with beautiful handwriting.  

Did you know that you can even make your own digital font? Check out Calligraphr or Fontself to have a custom font that’s uniquely yours. What better motivation to learn calligraphy!

#22. Pick up sewing or embroidery

Sewing is a very useful skill to have. As you build up your sewing skills, you can save money by mending, altering or even creating your own clothes. 

If sewing is not your thing, what about embroidery? Unleash your inner creativity and come up with crazy embroidery designs.

Not sure where to start? You can check out YouTube tutorials or go premium with Skillshare lessons!

#23. Learn a musical instrument

Have any musical instruments lying around? It’s time to stop procrastinating and start practising. 

Picking up a musical instrument can benefit you greatly. Not only will you be able to express your creativity, learning music actually has a positive effect on your health and cognitive skills.

If these are not enough to convince you to pick up music, consider this — once you’ve practiced enough, you can start playing all of your favourite songs instead of jamming to it with an air guitar.  

#24. Start gardening

Start with some succulents to add more greenery to your room. They’re cheap and simple enough to take care of. Depending on the type, they also take up minimal space. 

If you’re a cook, sustain yourself with a small garden filled with fruits, vegetables and herbs. Anytime you feel like cooking, just head over to your garden to pick up some supply.

#25. Make your own furniture

Instead of paying instalments for furniture that might not even meet your specific desire, why not make your own? Start small with simple table and chair designs. Once you’re ready, you can go into the more complicated custom designs. You can also make furniture as gifts for your loved ones. 

#26. Draw or paint

What kind of a painter are you? Tune into Bob Ross’ tutorials to learn more about landscape painting or come up with your own designs and let your creativity flow. 

If playing with colour scares you, start simple with sketches and drawings. Draw your favourite characters or make your own original comic.

#27. Make your own diorama

Have you ever heard of the doll houses that changed forensic science? A diorama is a 3d model representing a specific scenery. In the case of these dollhouses, the dioramas are crime scenes where multiple murders took place.

Creepy doll houses aren’t the only form of dioramas. 

You can make a diorama of the ocean or the forests or you can recreate fictional places from your favourite art pieces. This one guy even made a diorama of The Lord of the Rings’ Shire as a gift for his wife!

While it’s very meticulous, the end-result can be very fulfilling.

Self-improvement

#28. Take a language class

Interested in picking up Korean or Spanish? Now’s a good time as any to start. 

You don’t even have to worry about not being able to afford language lessons. Spend a couple of minutes everyday with these free, phone-friendly apps like Duolingo or LingoDeer and start picking up new languages with ease. 

There are so many great reasons why you should pick foreign languages. Keep practising and you’ll be a pro soon enough. 

#29. Improve your technical skills

The job market is now more competitive than ever. Make yourself more employable and relevant by improving your technical skills in Microsoft and Adobe. Besides that, you can stay ahead of the curve by picking up coding skills to meet the market’s demand.. 

#30. Enrol for an online finance class

Literacy in personal finance is very important. Pick up a book on personal finance like Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School? by Cary Siegel or watch tutorials online on how to manage and track your finances.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed but it’s very important that you learn how to make smart financial decisions as it will help you in the future.

Spring clean

#31. Redecorate the house

Paint your walls and rearrange your furniture to your heart’s desire. Get rid of all the clutter like broken furniture and electronics and fill up your new space with your own small garden or homemade furniture. 

Draw inspiration from minimalist ideas or find harmony between you and your surroundings with the Chinese art of feng-shui.

#32. Reorganise your wardrobe

Chances are, there are a number of clothes in your wardrobe that you haven't worn in a really long time. It’s time to “Marie Kondo” some of them.

Make money by selling these clothes as pre-loved items on online platforms like Carousell or Instagram or do an exchange party with your friends. You can also set these clothes aside to donate to the needy. 

#33. Clean your emails

Unsubscribe from notifications about your social media accounts and delete all the old emails that are no longer relevant. Archive important messages and unsubscribe from services you no longer need.

Seriously though, clean your inbox so you won’t be overwhelmed with the amount of unopened emails you have. 

Bonus

#34. Donate to the vulnerable

If you have the time to do the things listed above, chances are you’re luckier than most. The Covid-19 pandemic crisis has caused a huge impact on our lives and this is particularly true for vulnerable groups like migrants, the B40 and others. 

If you want to help, check out the KitaJagaKita website. It lists out over 88 COVID-19 specific causes that cater to vulnerable groups like our Orang Asli and endangered animal conservatories. It also lists out organisations that are helping our first responders with food and supplies. 

Have you ever tried any of these things? 

It’s important to note that you’re not on a timetable. You don’t have to finish all the movies and shows in one go and you don’t have to immediately be good at something. Take small steps and learn to enjoy the process. 

What do you do to enjoy your day at home?

Can’t meet your friends due to MCO? No worries, because you can now battle your friends with these awesome gaming apps.