The current health crisis has necessitated a drastic reduction in public gathering, up to and including classroom learning. These community restrictions and new health protocols have put over 290 million students around the world out of school. Without classes, students are left to their own devices to fill the time and improve themselves.
If you’re on such student or live with one, the urge to stay productive needs to be nurtured. Even without the benefit of a classroom setting, there are multiple ways students can enrich themselves and learn useful talents. Below are 5 skills and activities that can help older students to stay productive while they’re out of school.
1. Write a Story
Writing fiction is one of the most elegant ways to pass the time and develop a useful skill. It demands being in control of your schedule, organizing information effectively and expressing one’s thought efficiently into words. It also encourages students to read more, which can open their experiences and expose them to critical ideas necessary for mental development.
Organizations have set up multiple efforts to encourage students and young people to write more. For example, the National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo is an effort that began way back in 1999. But it doesn’t have to be November for you to start writing that long simmering novel. With the right motivation and guidance, you can power through your word count and emerge with a workable manuscript before school start.
2. Learn an Instrument
Being able to play music is one of the most beautiful talents in the world. Aside from creating and replaying melodies, playing an instrument also teaches you to be disciplined. After all, classes for piano lessons and guitar lessons can get very demanding. You need to practice continually to retain your skills. This builds routine and character right alongside musical aptitude.
3. Get in Shape
Staying indoors for prolonged periods may foster lethargy among students. You may find yourself bingeing television and not stirring from your bed or couch for hours. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the Centers for Disease Control have discovered that a stunning 58 percent of adolescent Americans don’t get enough exercise.
If you want to get in shape, there are plenty of ways you can do so from the comfort of your own home. Dance instruction videos are everywhere on YouTube and you can burn a lot of energy bopping and bending along to your favorite beats. Simple calisthenics and workout routines are freely available over the internet. You just need the time and the motivation do so.
4. Explore the Kitchen
On the other hand, you may want to explore your inner Gordon Ramsay. Cooking is an underappreciated talent but its not only useful, it also pays dividends. You won’t have to rely on other people for your food and you can impress friends and family with your new skills.
There are lots of websites with plenty of recipes and how-to guides for aspiring cooks. Even if you are a vegan or pescatarian, there is now a proliferation of ingredients and tutorials on how to cook meals for these specialized diets.
Just because you’re at home, doesn’t mean you can’t be productive. These ideas let you stay productive and develop yourself during the lockdown, so you can emerge a better and improve person.
