35 Things You Can Do Or Explore From Home

In a time of COVID-19 more and more groups and organizations are closing their doors as a preemptive action. In addition, more individuals are staying at home either to self-quarantine or because few entertainment opportunities are still open.

I see individuals wondering what they will do with themselves to stay busy during this time. In response, I have composed the following list of 35 links/activities/ideas you can do/explore from home to get people thinking. This list includes everything from at-home fitness to helping scientists perform research to exploring online collections including photos, medical history, and comics.

At Home Fitness

Yoga With Adriene -- Difference yoga videos for any mood or ability. Adriene is also amazing.

Darebee -- Workouts for cardio, core, and strength training. Some are even RPG Style.

Refitrev --  Dance fitness set to all your favorite songs

Knowledge (General)

(All these are free to sign up and provide courses for free though you might not get certificates but if you are just learning for fun that does not matter)

Coursera  -- All Topics (These generally are longer courses and involve submitting assignments)

Edx -- All Topics

Futurelearn -- This one is based in the UK so you get more UK history etc

Harvard -- Want to say you took a Harvard class? This is your chance. (To find free ones click price then free)

Knowledge (Specific)

Duolingo -- This site covers everything from languages spoken around the world to fictional languages such as High Valyrian and Klingon

Codecademy -- You can pick us the basics of coding for free

NaNoWriMo -- While Nanowrimo is best known for its Nov program they have tips all year round. In addition, April is Camp Nanowrimo where you set your own word count goal.

Digital Images/Collections 

(Many research institutions have digitalized some or all of their holdings so you can do cool personal research) 

• The Newberry Library
• The Library of Congress
• Naval Collections
• Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library
• JFK Library
• FDR Library
• The Granger Collection: Historical Photos
• Mathematics and Statistics: Digitized Collections
• Duke University Collections
• The Vatican Archives
• The Digital Comic Museum
• ...

Virtual Volunteering

Catchafire -- You can volunteer your professional skills helping many organizations

Transcribe letters and diaries -- The Newberry Library in Chicago needs help transcribing handwritten letters and diaries which have been digitalized

Zooniverse -- A whole collection of research projects you can help with from home. The selection is amazing from stars to cells, from elephants to helping track plant species, locations and scientists hidden in XIX century handwritten letters, to identifying and classifying nineteenth-century microscopy illustrations

Non-Virtual Volunteering/Donating (If you have money)

Check what types of items your local organizations need and create/donate via an amazon wish list or equivalent

If performances are canceled don't ask for a refund or donate the equivalent to the organization

Ask a cultural organization how you can help fundraise for them in these times. 

Non-Online Ideas (General)

Deep clean/organize of your apartment/house

Cook/Bake yummy foods

Write

Create/Make Art

Non-Online Ideas (Social)

Call a friend or neighbor

Write letters 

Contact a senior center and see if it would be possible to call/skype individuals there

Check if your typical social gatherings will be streaming etc. (Some places of worship are closed to in-person worship but many will be live streaming services. If your place of worship is not, check online for others in your faith tradition)