It’s inevitable that you’ll get bored. Is that to say it has to be the most excruciating time of your life? That’s not possible! With just a little imagination, you can easily turn boring time into fun time. Turn that down time frown upside down with some hilarious and creative activities.
10 Unusual Things to Do When You’re Bored
1. Be Someone’s Shadow
So you’re waiting for your friend for what seems like 95 years. Spend less time staring at your phone and more time watching people. See how long you can follow a good candidate before he notices you when you find a good candidate to shadow.
You’ll get so good at it that you’ll need to up the ante after a while. Make the fun more complex by adding some goals. Would it be possible to sing all the way through Camp Town Races? Would you like to skip?
Here’s the thing, once you’ve been discovered, you have to keep your cool. Give them the “What? Is something wrong?” routine in a clueless manner. Your fashionably late friend will finally appear when you are done shadowing strangers.
2. Get Tye-d Up in Tie…Tying
It is basically impossible to learn all the tie knots there are. All of these knots serve the same purpose and are overly complicated for no reason. There’s the Four-In-Hand, the Half Windsor, the Bow-Tie, the Oriental, and the Pratt, among many others. Imagine how baller you’ll be if you know them all. When you pull off a Christensen Knot, what man’s jaw wouldn’t drop off its hinges?
Try borrowing a tie from your husband or dad if you’re single and ready to mingle! Are you aware that there are sites with Ikea-style instructions specifically for this topic? It’s like the Rubik’s Cube of the 21st century.
3. Travel Through Time
How many of you remember time capsules from your school days? During that time, you rolled your eyes thinking, “I’ll always love velociraptors, finger painting, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!” But nine million things have changed since your fourth grade days, haven’t they? Can you imagine how much more will change in another 20 years? There is so much to do.
All you need is a shoebox or a container you won’t miss for a long time. Decorate it to reflect your interests. For example, bourbon bottle labels, hedgehog stickers, or excessive amounts of hot pink. Fill it up with pictures, a daily routine document, a list of things you’re obsessed with, a letter to your future self, and a few tchotchkes.
You can make one of these babies every year if you want – you just need to find a place to store them…
4. Learn the Alphabet(s)
The alphabet has been a part of our lives since we were four years old. Do you know the Spanish alphabet or the Russian alphabet that uses the Cyrillic script? Unfortunately, no. It’s unlikely that you do. How cool will you look when you use the German, Portuguese, and Hindi alphabets? In Antarctica, you’ll be cooler than a popsicle.
Many times, the different alphabets are not only posted with the correct pronunciations, but they also have videos on YouTube to help. In no time, you’ll be fluent in foreign alphabets!
5. Put on Your Detective Hat
Do you have Forensic Files queued up on your DVR every night? Helter Skelter has been read roughly 85 times by you, right? You’re going to love this activity! Using CrimeReports or another online crime scene database, you can research all the crimes that have happened in your area over time!
If you have a shady neighbor who seems to be hiding something, you’ll know once and for all if it’s crime. It’s one of those activities that can captivate you for hours, but leaves you feeling as if only a couple minutes have passed. It may be possible for you to get a job with the FBI after all.
6. Color Code Your Threads
It’s organization on steroids! Put your pants in one pile, your shirts in another, and keep going until everything is out of your closet — then put them back in rainbow colored order. No more endless goose hunts in search of your favorite purple “going out shirt” (you know, the one that makes your muffin top disappear). Instead, you’ll know exactly where to look!
When you’re done with this color-coding extravaganza, you might even enjoy stepping into your closet. You might even have enough space to hang a fashionable mirror for modeling clothes. Next time you go shopping, you’ll know which colors need more additions! Maybe you’ll even be motivated to organize your books alphabetically! There are so many wins.
7. Assemble a Flashy Photo Shoot
This activity has the advantage of giving you a subject for as long as you need them. You can experiment with different lighting and angles when snapping your dog, sibling, or fruit bowl. Perhaps you’ll come away with some shots you’re pretty proud of.
When your photos are no longer embarrassing, consider entering amateur photo contests. Among the prizes you could win are a new camera, a waterproof backpack, or even a trip to Europe! Who said boredom couldn’t be fun?
8. Plot an Epic Scare
The perfect scare requires planning. It’s not enough to hide behind the bathroom door or under the dining room table — you have to find the more advanced spots. I’m talking about hiding under the bed, buried under clothing in a closet, or even in the back seat of a car. Everybody feels uneasy about these spots, but no one expects a real scare to occur there.
You will need patience now. Consider the case where your husband is the main target. Before he puts in a couple extra hours every night, does he mindlessly hang his coat in the closet next to his office? This is going in the wrong direction, don’t you think? Allow him to hang up his coat and settle in comfortably — then strike. Just before you jump out, add scratching noises to get his attention, causing him to question his sanity.
9. Infuse Your Favorite Booze
Would you like some Skittles vodka? Would you like to try jalapeno tequila? You can make it happen in your own kitchen. Once you master the basics, not only will the flavors be fresher, but you can also create your own zany recipes.
To make your own Bloody Mary mix infused vodka, try adding mango flavor to your jalapeno tequila. There are no limits to what you can do! Your friends can give you feedback on your recipes once you have a bunch of variations in storage. Would vanilla-infused bourbon taste better with a little cinnamon added? There will be no one who can top your wet bar!
10. Take it Back to the Textbook Days
When you were in junior high, do you remember what it was like? You carried your body’s weight in textbooks everywhere you went. In the past, it seemed lame, but now reading about planets is actually pretty cool. Are you able to name all of Jupiter’s moons? It’s probably not — but once you dig in, you’ll find it’s pretty interesting.
Check your attic/basement/the overstuffed floor space under your bed for long-lost textbooks or, dare I say, encyclopedias. Take a look at one if it catches your attention! It’s pretty neat to read some actual text rather than mindlessly surfing the internet. It will also make you feel smart!
Turning Up Your Down Time
Don’t let boredom drag you down when it creeps into your day! Fill your time with new and silly activities to keep your interest levels high. You’ll kick your slow time into high gear whether you’re investigating former crime scenes, making a rainbow in your closet, or re-learning your ABCs (or ABBs).