My new favorite distractions

As we’re all trying to take this day by day, I decided that this week I wanted to share with you a couple of my new favorite apps. Maybe you’re like me and you’re starting to get tired of taking a walk or you’ve advanced and take approximately three a day but you just need something else.

Last week, our professor surprised us by having the CEO of Zoom, Erik Yuan, join our virtual class. This was an incredible experience and one that I won’t forget, but Yuan said something that stuck out to me. He emphasized that you need to find what makes you happy and do it.

In times like these, this can be hard. We can be quick to complain or be sad and get discouraged. Just the other day I took a walk around campus and started to tear up knowing that I won’t have another class in Carroll Hall. I realized while it’s absolutely valid to have these emotions and feelings, I should take the time to find what makes me happy.

I came across a couple of new apps that have really made me smile, so I wanted to share those with you if perhaps they can bring you joy and give you something to look forward to.

Scribd

As I’ve mentioned, I love running and walking. Sometimes music is what I want to hear but not always. In my last post, I talked about how I want to read more books, but time isn’t always on my side. My friend shared this app with me where you can download any book online or have the option of audiobooks. She then suggested that I read a book called, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. My new favorite activity is plugging in my Bluetooth headphones and going for a nice stroll where I listen to a full chapter.

Peloton

Before this all took place, I had a weekly routine of working out. I would attend a spin class almost every Monday evening at the SRC. My friend and I would meet after class on Tuesday and do our own workout together. Due to circumstances the SRC is closed and I don’t think I’ll ever have the chance to do another cycle class. I could be lazy, which I am, but I could take advantage of this time to do at-home workouts. I’m sure you recognize the name because of the famous commercial or the expensive stationary bikes, but this app offers free workouts for 90 days. Whether that be a 4-week program or individual workouts.

SuperCook

I love the idea behind this app and I wish I had found it sooner. This is an app where you select what ingredients you have in your pantry and it will somehow find a recipe for you to make. You’d be surprised at the recipes it comes up with. I find this one to be neat in a time like this because we have pantries full of random ingredients and often, I don’t know what I want to make with what I have.

Foodie

This one I’ve had for a while but have re-introduced it during this time. I was first introduced to this app when I was abroad. Although there’s not much to the app, it’s a fun way to take pictures of your food with a nice filter that fits right along. The reason why I mention this app is that now is a great time to create yummy recipes and share them with your friends. Combine it with SuperCook and you can share with your friends all the good eats you are cooking and trying.

Duolingo

Did you always wish you could learn a new language? Or touch up on your skills? I love this app and have found it to be super helpful when it comes to learning the basics of a new language or getting advanced with a language you already know. This is a great way to keep up with what you’ve learned and with all this time I bet you could find a whole new language to explore to learn a few things here and there.

I just wanted to share those with you as it’s helped me pass the time and feel less bored. Sometimes if you set aside some time to try a new recipe, read a new book, or expand your knowledge in languages, you may find that the time passes much faster than you anticipated.

Let’s keep finding creative ways to entertain ourselves during this time.