What the heck should I do all day? Version 2

For those of you holed up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all this free time could be driving you crazy. But, for those of us that have been lucky enough to stay healthy, the extra time we have on hand could be a blessing in disguise. It has allowed companies and individuals to think creatively and now you can even use this time to take that course online that you always wanted to take.

Here are 5 of my favorite things to do right now:

1. Netflix Party: By installing a Google Chrome extension, you can now watch Netflix shows and movies with your friends. You just log on to your Netflix account and once you find what you and your friends want to watch, then you click the NP extension in your browser and voila! you receive a link. Send that link to your friends and you are now watching it live together complete with a chat room on the side that you can use to discuss the series or movie.  Now you too can watch Tiger King with your friends! To download it, click here.

2. Free Online College Courses: Class Central has put together an amazing list of the top nearly 450 free online courses by Ivy League Colleges. I was surprised at how many free courses were available! And I'm currently taking The Ethics of Eating course by Cornell, which raises some interesting points about factory farming and its effects on...well everything. This course, however, is not pro-vegan, rather it states arguments from those who promote the eating of animals as well as those who do not and a lot more. I'm only in week two now, but I'd recommend it based on what I've seen. To see the list, go here.

3. Hamsters: You know they are cute. And how about spending just five minutes watching one of the coolest and cutest videos of all time?! A spine that allows a hamster to turn 360-degrees inside a small tube and cheeks that extend to their hips--there's so much to learn with the amazing videography and narration in this video.

4. Free Photography Courses: Nikon is offering free photography courses during the month of April. This is your chance to learn how to better photograph the landscape, people, pets, and much more. These classes run from 15 minutes to one hour in length and usually are available for a charge, but this month only, they are free. Access them by clicking here.

5. Virtual Vegan Happy Hour? Why not! Join the Vegetarian Society of DC for a Virtual Happy Hour tomorrow, April 7 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Pour up a Quarantini and a cute vegan t-shirt and meet like-minded people online. Join here.

That's it for now! Stay tuned for more if the quarantine continues...