This article was written by my colleague NRTC Managed Services Admin
So many plans have been put on hold or scrapped altogether this summer, but even though we can’t travel or hold big get-togethers, we can still make this summer a great one. Pop yourself a cold drink, sit back, and enjoy a vacation right in your own backyard!
- Explore the world. Without leaving your house, experience the sights and sounds and even the flavors of somewhere exotic. Try a program like Babbel or Rosetta Stone to learn a new language, find a Spotify station to tune into the music of your destination, and download some recipes from the place you’d love to go. And, with many museums offering free virtual tours, you can see priceless works of art without getting out of your jammies!
- Take a class. Imagine you’re back at summer school—by choice this time—and learn something new. Countless schools and universities are offering free or reduced online courses and webinars to jumpstart any academic endeavor and YouTubers (among others) are providing how-tos for hobbyists, crafters, musicians, and anyone willing to try something new.
- Get fit. The temptation is real to sit back and binge TV and bake another loaf of banana bread, but we all have more time than ever at home that we could use to get fit. Online fitness leaders like Beach Body and Betty Rocker are offering free online classes to kick off a new program, and most have Facebook groups to keep you motivated.
- Bake some banana bread. With all the terrific baking shows and cookbooks available right now, why not use your time at home to become a better chef? Bake something sweet and decadent or cook a big party’s worth of appetizers (and freeze whatever you can’t eat!).
- Have a Zoom barbecue. The best thing about the summer is getting together with friends. Just because we have to do it at a distance, doesn’t make face to face time any less special. Send out email invites—as fancy as you like—to friends and family, grill up something delicious, pour a cocktail, and sit down in front of your computer to host a Zoom party or happy hour. Everyone can show off what they made, chat, and raise a glass to their loved ones. You might even try a game or even karaoke to keep the party going.
2020 is like nothing we’ve ever seen, but locked down doesn’t mean locked out of lots of fun, exciting, challenging, and delicious staycations you’ll really enjoy.
