Raise your hand if you’ve had way too much free time at home! Especially if you’ve made the move to work remotely, you might be a little stunned by how much time your commute to work actually took up, and are now left with a couple of extra hours every day. You might want to pick up Japanese and get fit, or maybe you want to take this time to get your creative juices flowing. You know, pick up a new hobby. And quite honestly, I think we could all welcome a little distraction right now.
Learn Japanese Calligraphy
There are plenty of lessons in Tokyo to learn shodo (Japanese calligraphy) but now might not be the best time to attend them. Instead, why not practice the art of writing at home through an online class? After receiving your basic supplies (which you can order here), head over to Udemy where you can find Nohoh‘s classes. She is a professional calligrapher and has been one for more than 15 years. Through her online classes, she teaches a couple of beginner courses for those wanting to learn shodo. If you want to learn more about the available classes, visit nohoh.net
Expand Your Cooking Skills
A lot of time at home means you have a little more time to work on your meals. Tastemade offers a variety of classes, all very catered to a specific field of cooking. Whether you want to know more about gluten-free cooking or if you want to solidify basic skills, there are certainly a few classes here that might suit your fancy.
If you’ve been wanting to tackle some more yeasty recipes, Bon Appétit is currently rolling out a guide to better baking. A new cooking challenge is posted every Sunday and as of the writing of this article, there are 8 recipes you can catch up on.
There are also tons of learning resources on Youtube. Here is TW’s top 5 selection.
Learn How to Draw Manga
You might already be included to the visual arts. If you haven’t already, why not try to learn the art of manga? Skillshare offers tons of classes covering everything from basics to storytelling tips. If you like it, why not turn this into a stay-at-home project? If none of that appeals to you, the website has hundreds of other drawing classes you can sign up for.
did a IG live writing workshop last week and it was so fun <3 https://t.co/Z5ELfqCaw5. .
— rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) March 24, 2020
Perfect Your Writing
Are you a freelance writer? Maybe you’ve been considering a switch of career or simply are looking for something new to learn. If you’ve been thinking about polishing your writing, now is as good as time as ever. One of the most reputable sources for online workshops is UCLA Extension. The variety is incredible, with some quite broad in topics and others very specific. Find something that piques your interest and get writing!
If you’re looking for something more casual, keep an eye out for casual Instagram Lives from your favorite authors. Poet Rupi Kaur does the occasional workshop on weekends. Though they often take place at 4am, you have 24 hours after the broadcast to look back at it and participate.
Don’t know what to write? Get inspired by joining the TW Book Club.
Learn to Dance
When I can’t sleep at 11pm, I usually blame a surplus of energy. Considering I have to get up at 6 every morning, I’ve decided to dance every night before bed. Let me tell you that after 30 minutes, you’re ready for a good night’s sleep. Steezy is quite good if you’re looking to recreate the structure of an in-person class. They focus more on contemporary styles, and offer a really customizable experience.
What are you doing with your newly-found free time?