Staying home? Keep busy with these fun ideas

Social distancing. Self-quarantining. Quarantine. State of emergency. These terms all relay a clear message: stay home. What they don’t tell you, though, is what to do when you get there. In the interest of providing the absolute best coverage of this current crisis, here is a list of things you can do to pass the time away while the world outside goes quiet.

Video games

This one is a natural idea since most of the Vanguard’s readers already play a lot of video games. At the same time, though, there’s no idea as to what you should play. I have some ideas for that, though!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch): Alright, this one isn’t out until March 20, but who honestly thinks this will all clear up by then? Expected to be a greatly expanded game world that holds true to the game’s roots, Animal Crossing: New Horizons should be a lot of fun.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo (PS4): I played this one already; it’s super great but also super short. That said, it provides you with an opportunity to play something free, and maybe you can set a speedrun record at the same time.

Final Fantasy XIV (PS4/PC/Xbox): Final Fantasy XIV is a classic in the world of MMORPGs and is well worth the price of admission. With multiple playstyles, multiple characters a couple hundred hours of gameplay in the main story and a few hundred more in crafting and gathering, this should keep you busy. And if you want to start a Portland State free company, email me at [email protected] with the subject line “La Hee!”

Dauntless (PS4/PC/Xbox/Switch): If the cost of FF14 is a little prohibitive, try Dauntless. A monster hunter style game, Dauntless features endless customization AND you can pet the dog in the main player lobby!

Cooking!

You know those videos online where it’s overhead and looking at food being prepared? Where they play banjo music in the background and will hold an onion, clap, and suddenly it’s chopped? Do that, but in real life. I have multiple ideas on that point that you can try:

Comanche Corn Soup: Easy and vegan, all this requires is mushroom broth, dried corn, root vegetables and a large pot. Spices could include garlic, pepper, rock salt or cumin. Throw them all in together and simmer, don’t boil. It should take you an hour or two, depending on how large the veggies are.

Drop Bread Dumplings: Take your choice of biscuit mix, a brothy soup and a bit of sour cream (or vegan substitute). Mix up the biscuits but add a slight bit extra water (about 1/10 of the directions call for), mix again, then immediately, using a large spoon, dumping big blobs of it into heated oil. When golden brown, remove. Next, place your brothy soup in a casserole dish, add a tablespoon of flour, and mix. Next, drop in the drop bread. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, done.

Strawberry Shortcake: The night before, cut up strawberries into small bits and add a sprinkle of sugar. Then, use the same biscuit mix, but instead of extra water, add a couple of drops of vanilla extract. Bake as normal and add a mix of cinnamon sugar on top. Press a tablespoon into the top of your biscuits to create a depression. Scoop in some strawberries and add some whipped cream.

Crafting

Need something extra unique to do? Try crafting! Ideas include making soap or beard oil, with supplies easily found online. You can also look into the creation of really classic crafts, like macramé, knitting or even sewing your own clothes now that we’re living in Mad Max.

Don’t panic, keep busy, calm down, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t…