{"id":3707,"date":"2018-02-05T11:00:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-05T16:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/?p=3707"},"modified":"2018-02-26T21:15:35","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T02:15:35","slug":"lauren-f-10-ways-to-spend-your-free-time-effectively","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/2018\/02\/05\/lauren-f-10-ways-to-spend-your-free-time-effectively\/","title":{"rendered":"Lauren F: 10 ways to spend your free time effectively"},"content":{"rendered":"

This semester, I\u2019m working for Boston.com \u2014 the regional news and information website of the Boston Globe \u2014 as a full-time co-op. As daunting as a 9-5 might seem, it\u2019s actually pretty surprising how much free time I end up with at the end of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

No assignments, no studying, no papers; I leave all the work at the office to complete the next day when my shift begins. I think I can confidently say that I\u2019ve mastered the art of spending your free time effectively. (NOTE: I reiterate effectively, as the following may not necessarily be the most productive. Word choice is key here.)<\/span><\/p>\n

If you ever find yourself in a lull between classes and homework, it can be aggravating to remember how you used to spend your free time all those weeks ago during winter break. Here are a few recommendations so you don\u2019t spend all your free time simply figuring out what to do:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Binge a Netflix\/Hulu show<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/span><\/span>This brings me back to my original point on how this post is meant to teach you how to spend your free time effectively, not productively. I\u2019m sure this is already an option that comes most readily to us busy college students, but it\u2019s hard to search for a good show to watch amid the vast collection that these streaming services offer. So far, I recommend New Girl for some light-hearted humor, but some other classic comedic shows to binge include Friends, Parks and Recreation and The Office. In terms of more dramatic options, I would recommend Black Mirror, Stranger Things, Shameless and Handmaid\u2019s Tale. Yes, none of these options are particularly hidden gems, but I\u2019ll add in my two cents to attest to the quality of these shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Start a blog<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/span><\/span>Blogging is not just for the Insta-famous or technologically-ept! I can claim that as I, myself, actually maintain a travel blog. It began as a way to show my family back home what I\u2019m up to here and it\u2019s still rather new as I only have one post on there (shameless plug: check it out at farawayfrias.wordpress.com<\/a>), but I hope to add more to it once I study abroad. Your blog doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be travel-related like mine, but it can revolve around anything! Food, music or even just a compilation of your thoughts \u2014 anything is a good enough theme. Even if you don\u2019t want to start your own website, go to medium.com<\/a> to get a taste of that blogging life without jumping all in.<\/span><\/p>\n

      <\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. \n

        Try bullet-journaling<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/span><\/span>This might be a very niche frustration, but something that I\u2019ve always struggled with at the beginning of every new school year is finding a planner. If you\u2019re anything like me, my planner is my lifeline; I write everything in it \u2014 to-do lists, grocery lists, reminders, assignments, recipes, future plans, even book and TV show recommendations. I have a very specific idea of the organization that my planner needs, and nine times out of ten, the planner I end up doesn\u2019t meet all of my needs. That\u2019s when I decided to take matters into my own hands and try bullet-journaling. It\u2019s a hassle, yes, but the amount of creative freedom that comes with bullet-journaling makes it worth.<\/span><\/p>\n

        <\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. \n

          Learn how to cook<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          I\u2019m not entirely sure how much this will pertain to most students, but I live in an off-campus apartment this year, which means cooking is a very large part of my life now. Previous to this experience, my culinary expertise spanned no further than instant ramen and scrambled eggs. I think it\u2019s safe to say that so far all of my recipes are no more than glorified versions of basic foods \u2014 I use fancier spices now alongside salt and pepper \u2014 but all you need is a pan, a hot surface, and a determination to be self-sufficient and you\u2019re well on your way to making a gourmet meal.<\/span><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

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          1. \n

            Go to the gym<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Again not entirely sure how much this will pertain to most students, but I have recently gotten back on my health kick, probably thanks to the new year. But truth be told, it\u2019s really not as bad as society makes it seem. Sure, there are health nuts and fitness gurus surrounding me while I struggle to pick up a four-pound weight, but don\u2019t let them phase you. You\u2019re there to achieve your own goals, no matter how big or small they are. My goal is pretty small \u2014 being able to climb the three flights of stairs to the Globe office without getting entirely winded \u2014 but it\u2019s enough to keep me going back. And you\u2019d be surprised how fast those two hours at the gym can fly by when you\u2019re <\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. \n

              Do arts and crafts<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              <\/span><\/span>Arts and crafts can cover a wide variety of projects, but it\u2019s still a nice way to spend your time without being glued to technology. Most of my crafting efforts have been put towards decorating my apartment with painted glass bottles and pressed flower canvases, but to get more inspiration, get yourself a Pinterest board of ideas today.<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. \n

                Search for work on BU\u2019s Quickie Jobs page<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Something that I think a lot of BU students might not be aware of is the Quickie Jobs page under the Work tab on Student Link. We\u2019re college students, so obviously we like to make money where we can. Well, this page can help you with that, offering quick odd jobs to help you make a fast dollar. There are various opportunities posted, from babysitting gigs to research studies. If you have a free moment to spare, it doesn\u2019t hurt to make a bit of cash on the side.<\/span><\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. \n

                  Read a book<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  <\/span><\/span>To some, this must come as an easy option, but to the more technologically-inclined, it\u2019s an outlet to give your eyes a rest from all that blue light. Currently, I\u2019m reading a book by BU\u2019s very own Professor Mitch Zuckoff, <\/span>13 Hours<\/span>. And you\u2019d be surprised how many other professors have interesting published books. You can rent books from Mugar Library with your BU ID, but if nothing there suits your fancy, it\u2019s easy and free to register for a library card at the Boston Public Library right outside the Copley train stop. So really, you don\u2019t have much of an excuse not to read.<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. Volunteer<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    <\/span><\/span>There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer in this bustling city, from local animal shelters, retirement homes, and even right on campus. It always feels good to give back, and it\u2019s just a quick Google search away to find opportunities. If you\u2019re looking for a more accessible option, check out the Community Service Center for some on-campus volunteer work.<\/span><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. \n

                      Relax!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      <\/span><\/span>And, most importantly of all, the best way to spend your free time is to just relax. Light some candles, draw yourself a bath, and settle in with a good book. And if you\u2019re not a bath person, I recommend getting some string lights and snuggling into a big blanket to watch a good movie. Any way that you can take a moment for yourself, do it, before the grind catches up with you and you have to return to reality.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      This semester, I\u2019m working for Boston.com \u2014 the regional news and information website of the Boston Globe \u2014 as a full-time co-op. As daunting as a 9-5 might seem, it\u2019s actually pretty surprising how much free time I end up with at the end of the day. No assignments, no studying, no papers; I leave … Continue reading Lauren F: 10 ways to spend your free time effectively<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2018,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[44433],"tags":[44489,44500,44491],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3707"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3708,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3707\/revisions\/3708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}