After Monday night’s announcement from Pennsylvania Governor Wolf saying that all nonessential businesses should close during the coronavirus outbreak, people are stuck inside for good now. 

But how do you stay sane in quarantine once you finish schoolwork? 

The Comenian recommends 19 things: 

1. Take a virtual museum tour

Many museums are offering virtual tours of their collections during this unprecedented time of closures and quarantine. Many of America’s most famous museums are on the list, and even some abroad (even if coronavirus won’t let you travel, do it for free online now!). Some of the best to choose from are The British Museum in London, Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, the Louvre in Paris, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. 

2. Listen to an opera

To ensure that their dedicated audience does not get too bored during quarantine, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City decided to keep to its schedule but with a twist: live stream all shows —  for free, via its website, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Each show will remain on their website to watch for 20 hours so the next show can take its place. If you’ve never seen an opera but were always interested, now is your chance! The full schedule can be viewed here. 

3. Host a (virtual) movie night

Netflix knows just what we need. This week they launched Netflix Party, a Google Chrome extension that lets you watch Netflix in sync with your friends. The viewing allows you to start, pause, and play the movie in sync with your friends, so it’s like you’re all together while watching. You can even chat away in a chat box while you watch! You could always do this the old-fashioned way and FaceTime or text while watching it on your own screens, but the extension makes it way easier to stay connected. Download the extension here.

4. Host your own trivia night

One of the most popular after work activities lately has been trivia. Many bars and restaurants offer it, but they are closed as well. Some, however, like Steel Trap Trivia (which usually takes place at the Fegley’s Steelgaarden), are running online trivia nights via Zoom. Or why not host your own? Pull out some online trivia games, Buzzfeed quizzes, or good old-fashioned Trivial Pursuit to get the game night rolling and keep your boredom at bay. 

5. Stream a Broadway show

With Broadway going dark for an indefinite time, theatreheads may be sadly stuck at home. But have no fear! Playbill.com is here to help you watch your favorite plays and musicals while staying in quarantine. It has provided a curated list of legally filmed Broadway productions and where to find them, including titles like “Rent,” “Into the Woods,” and “Company.” Also, tons of other streaming services are looking to provide shows to their audiences. Among them OnTheBoards.TV, which is offering free streaming until the end of April

6. Have a household game night

Board game lovers rejoice! Board games are the perfect thing to keep you entertained during quarantine. While many of us probably haven’t played a good board game in quite some time, it’s a fun way to get your family together to enjoy some (albeit forced) quality time together. Monopoly, Scattergories, and Charades are always a fun way to pass the evening without being *board* (pun intended). 

7. Read a book (or maybe two or three)

There’s no better time to get started on that “To Read” pile of books than now. Grab that one book you’ve been meaning to read for months and get started! Or start that series you were always worried you wouldn’t have time for because, let’s face it, you do now. Or even reread a classic favorite! The possibilities are endless. And don’t forget that if you don’t have any paperbacks in your house now, try out an online book from Amazon, Audible, or Barnes and Noble, or give a classic a spin on Project Gutenberg. 

8. Paint a new decoration

If you have some stocked-up art supplies lying around your house, let your creativity free and start painting! Whether it’s watercolor, acrylics, or pastels, try playing with these new mediums for fun. Tons of tutorials are available on YouTube to get you started. 

9. Give your room a deep clean

With everyone stocking up on hand soap and sanitizer, having a clean room may make you feel more hygenic. Take some of your newfound free time to give your living space a deep clean. Reorganize all of your surfaces that are a gathering space for clutter, go through your belongings to donate what you don’t need, and give your furniture a good cleaning. You’ll feel less stressed and more accomplished afterwards because who doesn’t love a clean room?

10. Binge watch a new show

We’re living in the Golden Age of television now, and there are almost too many great new TV shows available online and on cable. Whether you rewatch some of your old childhood favorites on Disney+, check out a new show everyone is talking about on Netflix, or finally get that Hulu subscription, this is a fun way to spend some time on the couch relaxing while the rest of the world seems stressful. 

11. Movie marathon

Spend a day relaxing while having a movie marathon! Pop in the first of a series and see where the day takes you. Enjoy some great trilogies like the Matrix and Divergent, or be more ambitious and try a longer series like Harry Potter or Star Wars. Or try out a genre marathon! Try some fun teen dramas (Five Feet Apart sounds really appropriate now) or some pandemic movies if you really want to scare yourself. (Contagion is my favorite!)

12. Organize your pantry or fridge

Everyone is stockpiling on food because supermarkets are running low, so why not clean your pantry to make room for it! Try cleaning out your pantry or fridge! You’d be surprised (and probably disgusted) by how old some food in your kitchen may be. Plus, it will help to declutter your kitchen and make storage easier. And honestly, who wants to make time to clean out your pantry normally? Might as well do it now!

13. Download a cool new video game

Not really a gamer but want to see what all the hype is about? Check out some fun and cheap games to play for hours of fun! Some of our staff favorites are Life is Strange (iOS and Android), Stardew Valley (Mac and Windows), Orwell (Mac and Windows), BitLife (iOS and Android) and Sims 3 & 4 (Mac and Windows), Animal Crossings: New Horizons (Nintendo) and the Last of Us (PS4). 

14. Home workout

Gyms and studios may have shut down, but that doesn’t mean your workout has to! Get started on your own at-home workout regiment. You don’t need fancy equipment or clothes to do this. Just pull up some workout sessions on YouTube and you’re good to go! Or try out a new exercise that you have been interested in, like yoga or kickboxing!

15. Start a blog

Ever wanted to become a vlogger? Now’s your chance! Start a blog about literally anything you want — it can be funny, serious, educational, or just a fun place to connect with people! You can start a blog about a hobby you have or a skill that you want to help others learn, become an online movie reviewer and blog about the movies that you watch, or start a music sharing blog! The possibilities are endless, and there are tons of sites out there to help you out like WordPress, Google Sites, and SquareSpace. 

16. Learn a new hobby or skill

During your downtime, you can test out some new skills! You can try some arty crafts like knitting, crocheting, or embroidery, or some more technical skills like computer programing or creative writing. The possibilities are endless with the internet as a resource, so you’ll be on your way to learning a new skill in no time!

17. Start writing a book

For all of you writers out there, this is the perfect time to get working on a new novel! Camp Nanowrimo, an offshoot of the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) that takes place every November, is happening in April this year. While it is only March, we are likely to still be feeling the effects of the virus in April and possibly still stuck on quarantine. Round up a group of writing-minded friends and try your hand at this fun and free writing community!

18. Learn a dance

Tik Tok is taking the world by storm, and some of the most popular videos are dance videos. Find a cool new music video or Tik Tok dance to try out! There are tons, like the Renegade dance and the Say So dance. Or if you are more interested in doing something off a music video, try out a fan favorite like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” or Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

19. Bullet journaling

Bullet journaling is a new craze for those artistically inclined. You don’t need fancy pens or paper— just try it out with printer paper and markers! There is tons of inspiration online on Google, Instagram, and Pinterest to get you started. And remember there’s no right way to bullet journal!