With COVID-19 numbers still continuing to rise, it has been hard for college students to enjoy time with their friends outside of academic hours. Let’s face it, there can only be so much time spent on studying, taking practice quizzes, and watching informational videos each day. At some point students need to put the books down, leave isolation and find other productive things to do that can additionally keep them entertained. The overall goal is to keep students motivated by giving them a break from student life and allowing them some time to live their normal human lives. However, the COVID-19 outbreak modifications have made it hard to achieve that goal because the college experience this year has been everything but normal.  

Students are expected to wear masks and stay six feet apart from each other. They are also expected to not have outside guests on campus or other BVU residents outside of their living arrangements in their rooms. Additionally, students are expected to move all in person extracurricular activities online. So, how could a person possibly have any fun with all of these rules set in place? Here are a few ways to still have a good time while social distancing.  

Video Chatting  

It can be good for a person to chat with the people that they love even if it’s over the convenience of a screen. Thanks to today’s technology, video chatting is offered on many different devices and platforms such as Facetime or Google Hangout. Whether someone has an Apple, or a Samsung device, friends and family members faces can be seen with just a few taps on the screen!  

Reorganizing your Dorm with your Roommate  

After spending weeks in a dorm, it can be exciting to switch things up. Making your room feel like home can bring more comfort to your college experience. Teaming up with your roommate to revamp the space you live in can be a lot of fun. Printing off new pictures or even adding fake plants around the room can make it look entirely new.  

Have a Picnic at the Park  

The great thing about Storm Lake is there are plenty of delicious places to grab take out. If you are craving coffee and deli-based food, Grand Central Coffee Station is a great place to visit, or if you are craving Mexican food, La Juanita is a BVU community favorite. After purchasing a delicious meal, head on over to the park with some friends and have social distanced meal.    

Digital Scavenger Hunt 

A digital scavenger hunt follows the same rules as a regular scavenger hunt; however, it is conducted through a group chat. The objective of a digital scavenger hunt is to hunt for things in your surroundings that are on a list made by the group. Once you find something on the list you take a photo of it and post it to the group chat to show proof. Whoever finds the most or all objects on the list wins.  

Book Club over Zoom    

In general, reading books is a productive way to pass time. However, sharing the love of literature with a group of people is even better. To get started, gather some friends and decide on a book to read for your desired amount of time. Once the reading is done come back together on Zoom and discuss what you comprehended.   

Check out the multimedia video depicting these fun activities below: