In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, news and constant change can feel overwhelming. Because most of us are social-distancing, we can feel both isolated and scared. However, this social-distancing doesn’t have to be dreary and dull. We can make the most of these frightening times by doing things that help us grow and learn. Try some of these fifty-one things to stay sane during the age of COVID-19.

1. Play a board game with your family. I recommend Clue and Monopoly.
2. Go on walks in your neighborhood. Try listening to nature or visiting your childhood hideaways.
3. Learn a musical instrument (piano, harmonica, spoons, whatever you have in the house!).
4. Draw something! Be creative. Try watching a Mo Willems tutorial on Youtube.
5. Interview a family member and write about it. Who knows what stories they might have?
6. Get really good at chess, or learn it.
7. Catch up on reading.
8. Experiment with photography. Even a smartphone can take amazing pictures!
9. Organize your closet by color and season.
10. Sort through clothes to donate after the outbreak is over.
11. Cook something new for your family. Try a new recipe or an unfamiliar cuisine (think Jamaican, German, Korean!).
12. Watch old movies!
13. Watch new movies!
14. Try some yoga. YouTube has tons of free yoga routines! Local businesses such as Burlington Yoga and Queen City Yoga are also holding online classes.
15. Learn how to solve a Rubix cube.
16. Handwrite and send a letter to your loved ones (grandparents, aunts and uncles).
17. Facetime your friends.
18. Clean and rearrange your room.
19. Start a journal and talk about your everyday experiences. It will be cool to read in ten years.
20. Practice your favorite sport or instrument(safely)!
21. Research something that interests you.
22. Make hot chocolate. Make your own tea, and coffee, too!
23. Listen to your parents’ old music. Chances are some of it is pretty good.
24. Listen to some new music you haven’t heard yet.
25. Redecorate your room!
26. Meditate. Stress can be avoided.
27. Go on a short run.
28. Drive somewhere remote with your family. Make it an adventure.
29.  WASH YOUR HANDS!
30. Learn how to do origami.
31. Watch old fashion shows on YouTube.
32. Play around with makeup. Try watching a tutorial, or just experimenting on your own.
33. Cut your own hair!
34. Listen to an audiobook or a podcast.
35. Paint a portrait of one of your friends. Surprise them in a few weeks!
36. Plant something – start a garden.
37. Play with a younger sibling (or an older one). Hide and seek is always fun.
38. Play with a pet.
39. Walk your dog.
40. Learn a new language. Try some Duolingo!
41. Do a technology cleanse (with the exception of remote learning, of course). Try turning off your phone for the weekend.
42. Look through old photographs of your family.
43. Call your relatives!
44. Donate things your family doesn’t need.
45. Write some poetry.
46. Read some poetry.
47. Reach out to some of the older people in your community. Everybody could use a little love right now.
48. Solve a puzzle.
49. Knit a blanket.
50. Throw a frisbee or a football with a sibling. Stay active!
51. Read The Register!