How I’m Planning to Stay Entertained During Quarantine This Winter

It’s clear that this pandemic isn’t going anywhere soon. Yes, there are two very promising vaccines on the way, but the distribution will still take some time. Fauci says we’ll likely still be social distancing until Q3 or Q4 of 2021, so I’m making plans for a quarantined winter.

And for the record, this isn’t “another quarantine” for our household—we’ve pretty much been home since March, with a few small, pre-planned, and safe exceptions. So the biggest difference for us is that we won’t be spending time on our porch, in our backyard, or at our local park as much. But otherwise it will pretty much be same old, same old.

So after 8 months of quarantining, how are we planning to stay entertained this winter? Well I’ve got a few ideas.

Work

Okay, getting the most obvious one out of the way. And while it’s not necessarily “entertaining” like reading or watching TV is, it’s still a big part of how I’ll be filling my time.

I’m so privileged to not have been impacted work-wise by the pandemic. In fact, I’m actually working more since March than I was before. And while I’d like to have a healthier work/life balance, I’m also very grateful that I haven’t felt like I’m in an endless Groundhog Day loop.

My 101 in 1001 List

This will definitely be the overarching theme of the rest of my list. I just started my most recent list back in October, which means I’ve got a lot of things I want to accomplish, and a bunch of them have been tailored to life in quarantine!

If you’re interested in making your own, I’ve rounded up my tips for making a 101 in 1001 list! Nothing like a good project to get you through winter isolation.

Reading

I have been doing so much reading this year (I committed to it even before the pandemic really took hold!). In fact, I just passed my reading goal of the year (52 books, or one for every week!) earlier this week! And I don’t intend to slow down any time soon.

I’ve been checking out / placing holds on so many ebooks at my local library and investing in copies that have too long of holds. Plus I’ve got a stack of “I can put these books in my neighbors’ Little Free Library once I read it” books, which is incredibly motivating. Reading and decluttering!

Plus, I’ve got a whole section of my 101 in 1001 list devoted to reading, and I have the feeling I’ll make good progress on those items this winter.

Mixology

I’ve really gotten into mixology and bartending lately. I think a lot of it is owning our home—I really want people to feel welcome when they come over (when it’s safe to do so) and be able to whip up any cocktail people might want, without needing to look up a recipe.

As part of my 101 in 1001 list, I’ve put together a list of 15 cocktail recipes I want to learn (and perfect our house recipe while we’re at it), so I plan to explore those recipes this winter. It’s not like we’re driving anywhere!

Video Games

I’ve gotten more into video games this year thanks to Animal Crossing and Ring Fit (both of which make appearances on my 101 in 1001), and I’m interested in exploring more this winter. I’m your typical button-masher when it comes to fighting games, but I really like the idea of learning how to play games beyond just smashing the buttons at random. Plus with Nintendo Online we can play with our friends around the country, so I want to set up more video game nights this winter!

“Old School” Television I Missed Out On

There are a lot of shows I feel like I’ve “missed out on” over the years. I finally got into Friends and The Office a year or two ago, but I don’t really understand references to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Golden Girls, Sex and the City, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Downton Abbey. That’s why—you guessed it—I put all of them on my 101 in 1001 list. Hello, binge-watching list!

Crafting

I’ve loved crafting since I was little, but I’ve gotten out of the habit since college. I’ve gotten myself kits and have a bunch of supplies in the basement, so I want to be more creative this winter. Screen printing, embroidery, sewing, cross-stitch—I’m ready for it all!

Cooking

And finally, I’m really interested in getting more comfortable in the kitchen. I’ve got a bunch of recipes I want to try out, including cooking my way through an entire cookbook. Here’s hoping we don’t face any more ingredient shortages and that I can get over my anxiety long enough to make some grocery runs this winter!

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To be honest, I’m not terribly worried about quarantine this winter. I’ve got everything I need in my house, and a long list of ways to entertain myself!

How are you going to stay entertained this winter? Have you started making plans yet?