By Catherine Wilson
For The Diamondback

More than a week into quarantine, I’ve already watched everything on Netflix and eaten most of the snacks I was supposed to be stockpiling in the event of a shutdown. Now, I’m just bored.

It’s not like I went a lot of places before the massive closures. I certainly prefer the company of pets over other humans. I was built for this type of environment, right? But I’m slowly finding out that with the lack of places to escape to and things to do, I have a serious case of cabin fever.

The idea of getting to be an absolute lazy piece of shit for two weeks has finally worn off, and reality has finally sunk in. I have no idea what I’m going to do, but at least I can cross a few things I’ve tried off my list that might be able to help you get through this boredom — maybe you’ll be more successful than me.

Cleaning
This was my first instinct: Cross off things on my to-do list. But with the fading incentive and lack of motivation to complete this brave feat, this only lasted three days — I never finished.

Building a blanket fortress
I tried leaning on one of my favorite childhood pastimes to get me through, but I found that I don’t stock nearly as many blankets as my parents did when I was growing up.

Baking
I’ve made brownies, cookies and even somehow managed to frost a cake, all within the last week. It’s been my goal to fatten up everyone around me and make them as miserable as this quarantine makes me. I’ve done my best.

[Read more: Six books to keep your mind busy during quarantine]

Create something new
Don’t wait for a professor to assign you something to write or draw; take matters into your own hands. The satisfaction that comes with creating something will make you forget all about your lack of freedom.

But rest assured, your workflow will be interrupted by the other occupants of your home, who you’re now forced to spend every waking minute with. My significant other and my dog decided there was an open invitation to nap in the same spot I was trying to write this very article in. The last time I checked, snoring doesn’t necessarily breed productivity.

Play catch up or get ahead
Unfortunately, my creativity ship has sailed with the writing of this article, so I will be spending the remainder of the break getting myself caught up on academic work before I’m subjected to online classes.

Do yourself a favor: Pick up that book your professor assigned you that you “forgot” to read or just take the initiative to work ahead, so you have more time to be bored later.

Go for a walk
Of course, no one is preventing you from walking outside. Take a walk outside or go to your local park. The fresh air is good for both your physical and mental health. Just don’t breathe on people, and try to resist the urge to lick them on your jog — you’ll be OK.

But all jokes aside, we aren’t avoiding group situations because we enjoy the silence. We are social distancing to slow the spread of the virus — to protect those at risk and not overwhelm hospitals. We will get through this, and hopefully, when it’s over, it will be but a small footnote in our collective history about that time we ate too much food and did weird things to pass the time.

[Read more: The beginner’s guide to birding]