While I am turning on the TV, I see the next press conference about the corona updates. What?! Another lockdown? No worries because we are here to save you from these gloomy days!
To get this list off to a good start, we begin with some series recommendations. Of course, I can recommend you some good Bridgerton, whose first season can be found on Netflix and is streamed by 82 million households! This 8-episode series is about wealth, lust, and betrayal set in the backdrop of Regency era England, seen through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family. Can’t get enough? You have to wait a little bit longer, because season 2 comes out in spring of 2021! Are you more of a crime scene fan like I am? The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel is a new 4-episode long Netflix series that I can recommend to you. It is about the college student and tourist Elisa Lam who vanishes at one of the most notorious hotels in America.
Can’t hang out with your friends anymore? I know the struggle, but something that really helped me to survive these boring days is to find a new hobby. Do something creative such as drawing, music producing, or writing poems. For the graphic designers among us, if you know Photoshop and Illustrator from top to bottom, maybe you can deepen yourself into other programs such as After Effects and/or Cinema 4D. Always wanted to try out that homemade carrot cake, sugar-free banana bread or vegan chocolate brownie? Baking is also something that is really time-consuming and fun at the same time! Vegnews.com is one of my favourite websites to try out delicious and healthy recipes.
Lost your job during the pandemic or can you use some extra money anyway? Now is the time to tidy up your wardrobe and put some things up for sale. Some useful second-hand clothing sales websites are Vinted, Swopster, and if you have more luxury designer items in your closet Designer Vintage is a great platform for selling items! Buying and selling-second hand is better for the environment and for your wallet! Do you want to read more about how you can make a difference to an environmentally friendly world? Take a look at the HUB-article ‘Small habits – big changes’!
You won't be surprised if I tell you that the stress level of us students is above average these days. So, what’s wrong with some self-care! Take some time for a nice bath or shower and listen to inspirational podcasts. I can recommend you the podcast All in the Mind by the BBC Radio 4, which discuss different topics such as making choices, personality change and mental health. Another tip (which only takes 5 minutes!), is to write down 10 things you are grateful for. Also try some yoga or pilates! I have tried it myself, and it really calmed me down. There are a lot of YouTube videos of your choice. My personal favourite YouTube channel for great yoga and pilates workout is Move With Nicole!
Missing your friends and family? You can still hold an online gathering. It sounds a little bit dull, but you can make it as fun and crazy as you like. Make your own quiz and let everyone send in their own answers to funny and personal questions! Think of questions such as ‘who is most likely to drop out of college’ and ‘from who are these 2 truths 1 lie’. It is also fun to organize a pub quiz, music bingo and you can even do online games such as 30 seconds. Open your PowerPoint or Keynote, go crazy with the design and questions and in no time, everyone is having a great time!
Coming to an end, there is one more tip I want to give you. Taking care of yourself and each other is really important, especially during this time. Stay save, stay healthy and together we stay strong!
