Been cooped up at home for these past few weeks? You’re not alone (well, theoretically you’re not). Amid the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 that’s taken the world by storm, many of us find ourselves confined within four walls — leaving little or no access to real-world socialising. Not that most of us aren’t used to it — I mean, think about the amount of time you spend glued to your screens before the virus even came about.
Especially for introverts (some of us included), you’d probably feel like you have an edge above everyone else because it seems like we’ve been practising your own form of social distancing since Day 1.
Introverts unite!
But on second thought, don’t.
Now, whether you identify as an extrovert or the latter, the idea of dealing with social isolation can be a hard hit on those who usually spend most of their time out with their friends or family.
And of course, you’d be bored out of your mind if you’ve been bunkering at home for the past few weeks while working from home.
“What should I do once I’m done with work? I’m having some serious food cravings but I can’t leave my house! What should I do over the weekend?” Yes, yes, we heard you.
But before you start grumbling over how boring social isolation can be or even think about leaving your house for that bowl of Bak Kut Teh you’ve been craving for, just remember that great things can come from times of unbelievable hardship. Take, for instance, a card game that you’re used to playing over a couple of tipples, or even that mahjong game that you have scheduled with your friends every week. Or even better — attending a concert online while your favourite artist serenades to you live. Yes. Please.
Whatever the case is, we’ll leave it to the Internet to keep us connected even during these tough times. Ahead, we’ve listed out some of the activities that you can spend your time on by yourself (or even with your circle of friends online) while maintaining safe social distancing at the comfort of your home.
VIRTUAL HANGOUTS WITH YOUR FRIENDS
TELECOMMUNICATING APPS
With a flurry of telecommunicating apps available online, it’s clear that you might have a hard time deciding on one to download to talk to your friends with or even your colleagues if you’re working from home. Our top picks? Consider apps like:
— Zoom
— Google Hangouts
— FaceTime
— Skype
NETFLIX PARTY
Can’t meet your friends to catch a movie? Says who? Besides not being able to meet your friends IRL, Netflix now has an extension where users can chat and watch some of your favourite Netflix series and movies together with you and your friends — and they’re calling it a Netflix Party.
All you have to do: Simply log into Google Chrome, search for the Netflix Party extension, share a viewing link with your friends, choose one person from your circle to be in charge of choosing what to watch and that’s it! Within the extension, you’ll also find a chatroom where you can discuss about the show or even have a casual convo with your friends too.
Now, who’s up for the next season of Money Heist?
ONLINE GAMES
ONLINE MAHJONG
It’s time to round your friends up for a game of mahjong! We know it might not be the real deal but when you have things like social distancing to keep in mind, indulging in your favourite game online is only the closest thing you can to actually playing it.
VIRTUAL CARD GAMES
Other games that you can spend your weekend playing also include free card games like UNO, Cards Against Humanity and Go Fish! In fact, if these games don’t tickle your fancy, you can also find other options on virtual card game website, Playingcsards.io.
INDULGE IN THE ARTS
stream a play at the NATIONAL THEATRE (LONDON)
With a string of museums and theatres around the world closing its doors in response to lockdown restrictions, places like the National Theatre in London have upped its ante by streaming plays online every Thursday for the public. Free to watch for one week, starting from April 2nd, the National Theatre will be streaming plays on their YouTube channel where viewers can enjoy family-friendly titles, with the first being Richard Bean’s ‘One Man, Two Guvnors‘, where late-night talk show host, James Corden will be starring in as well.
Some of the other titles that you can look forward to in the weeks ahead also include Jane Eyre, Treasure Island and Twelfth Night.
To find out more about the National Theatre at Home, click here.
VISIT WORLD-CLASS MUSEUMS
Planned a trip to Paris only to have it cancelled because of the current pandemic? It sucks and as much as you’ve given up on visiting the Louvre, all hope is not lost. While it may be a little tough to explore these world-class museums through your screens, you can at least visit them from the comfort of your couch. Yes, renowned museums around the world are now offering virtual tours that you can access through your smartphone. Check these out:
1. The Louvre
2. NASA
3. The National Gallery of Art
4. The Vatican Museums
5. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
6. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
7. The Dalí Theatre-Museum
8. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
9. The British Museum
10. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
WATCH A BROADWAY MUSICAL
Been dying to catch a Broadway musical? Now’s your chance. Theatre-streaming service, BroadwayHD, will be offering a 7-day free trial for users to access and catch their favourite Broadway shows online! Some of the musicals that you can expect from the app include classics such as The King and I and Cats!
CATCH YOUR FAVOURITE CONCERTS ONLINE
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-YK5gVJUfz/
A duet between Camila Cabello and her sweetheart Shawn Mendez definitely made our hearts flutter and we couldn’t be more hyped about seeing more of our favourite singers performing live on our screens. Sure, it might not be the same as attending a concert but we’re not complaining if we can enjoy all these acts from the comfort of our home!
IHEARTRADIO LIVIN ROOM CONCERT FOR AMERICA
First up, consider iHeartRadio’s Living Room Concert for America, hosted by the one and only Elton John. Here, you’ll find musicians across the country coming together (online, of course), performing some of your favourite tunes — which also include the likes of Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga and Sam Smith!
JAMES CORDEN’S ‘HOMEFEST’
Next up on the list: James Corden’s ‘Homefest’. Featuring artists such as Billie Eilish, Will Farrel, John Legend, David Blaine, Finneas, Andrea Bocelli, and even global phenomenon, BTS, James Corden’s obviously falls nothing short of spectacular. Not to mention, this star-filled show is also been said to be live-streamed from his garage! Now, who would’ve thought that was possible.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ZMX3vhmwH/
The primetime special has also featured Dua Lipa, where she performed online with her band and her dancers on the show.
GLOBAL CITIZEN
Haven’t learned about Global Citizen? It’s about time you should. A movement that’s said to use its collective voice to end extreme poverty, Global Citizen has also made its initiative by providing entertainment relief with their string of musical performances that also include stars like Chris Martin, Anne-Marie, Jennifer Hudson and more.
KEEP CALM AND PARTY ONLINE
You may have already caught Marquee Singapore and Zouk x Razer’s online rendition of a party over the past few weeks, but if you’ve missed those online parties out then fret not. DJs around the world, including DIPLO, are trailblazing the night scene with their own DJ sets, done every week.
Happening on every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can now enjoy live stream music by Diplo, Major Lazer and Mad Decent on their Instagram and YouTube.
And if all else fails — well, there’s always TikTok.
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