Beating Boredom

Heyo!

I've been back at home for almost three weeks now, and being back by the sea was something I really needed. I have been seeing friends that I haven't seen in a while, even years in some cases, and it's just been really nice to reconnect with my friends down here. As some of you might know, I wasn't able to come home for more than a week at the most last summer due to my job back in Bath. So now, naturally, I am trying to make the most of every opportunity to see everyone I can.

However, something that I have found pretty strange is that I am becoming more and more bored by the day. This isn't an attack on my family or friends at all, I just feel like there is so little to do in this town unless you have the money to go to nearby places every day. It's a more family-orientated town, and I'm not eight anymore so the swimming pool and the Lido isn't really cutting it for me anymore. Unless you are still a child, or a bit older, there isn't much to do here. As a result, much like the Blood Red Shoes song, It's Getting Boring By The Sea, and I'm not too sure how to tackle that.

I've started taking photos of my hometown and experimenting with Photoshop a lot more, this was slightly altered to remove the people smoking in the distance, I'm getting a lot better at this which is going to be good for next year!

I'm trying to meet up with friends and family, but this ridiculously hot weather has drained me and as a result I got mild-ish heatstroke so I couldn't do much except stay indoors. This has in fact been somewhat a blessing in disguise. I've been able to play games I haven't played in years, read some of the book on my summer reading list and get emailing lots of important people. So I thought I would share some of the ways I have, and will, be beating the boredom that you might encounter at some point in the summer. Whether you're a student stuck somewhere with nothing to do, or you've got a few days off but you aren't sure what to do next, these should be of some help!

1. Play Games

I'm not a massive gamer, I merely dabble into the industry, but for many people gaming and playing games is a route of escapism from the daily grind of our everyday lives. There's games out there for everyone, and making sure you find the right type of game is important. Check and see what's popular now, or maybe even try and find some of your old favourites cheap or free online and get lost in a world where anything is possible. I'm currently playing Assassin's Creed, because I finally figured out what I needed to do (before this, I was attempting to stealth assassinate with a huge sword and would be killed instantly), needless to say I am loving the game and I'm really glad I gave it another shot because as it goes, I'm pretty good at it!

2. Go Outside

I know this one juxtaposes the first point, but even if you only go outside for half an hour it will do you the world of good. You might even see a dog in the park or find out there's a pub quiz next week you really want to go to. There's usually something in towns and cities that people travel miles to see that you've neglected to notice because you live there. For example, I live in Bath and yet I've never been inside the Abbey because there is always a huge queue, but when I go back I have decided I will go and see what the hype is all about! Go and explore your local community and see what's around, you might find some hidden gems, even if it's only a pub that has cheap pints!

3. Reading

This might not be for everyone, but this is a big tick to me, and the majority of my student friends and book-lovers that I have in my life. I am going to disclose now that it doesn't have to be fiction based at all, it can just be you reading some articles online about your favourite people, or even articles about which books you'd probably like. Reading is my number one route to escapism that I can literally do anywhere, it is not dependent on weather, my mood, other people or my location. Now with the rise of audio books and a (potential) rise in e-books, you can take them with you in whatever format you want. Get reading!

4. Take up a new hobby

Have you always known you love taking pictures on your phone? Maybe you should delve into the world of photography! You don't need a flashy camera to get started, I've recently started out with a digital camera that I've had for years and I've been able to take (and edit, editing is important!) some pretty good photos with it. Maybe it's not your thing, but there is a whole world of hobbies out there that is waiting for you to strike. Figure out if you would rather do an indoor or an outdoor hobby, and then see what tickles your fancy! I prefer indoor things personally (baking, knitting, crochet, embroidery, reading, editing etc.) but there are so many great hobbies and there is definitely one there for you, so go explore your options.

5. Start a new project

I've had so many amazing ideas and opportunities since being at university, but I have not been able to fully immerse myself in projects like I would want. I have decided to use the summertime in order to focus on the projects I want to finish, the ones I want to continue with, and the ones I've just started. I can't really discuss them as of yet, but I know they will be amazing, and getting the hard bits done now will make my life a lot easier in the long run (and yes, I am very aware that I sound like your mum, dad, guardian, teacher and every other responsible adult in your life, but it's true!) Something that I've done this week is start creating EPUBs for the books I need to study next year for my 'Literature and Evil' module, and they've been turning out really good! If you've got something that you've been meaning to do for a while, maybe now is the perfect time to make a start and get it done. Immerse yourself in something you've always wanted to try and see how it all pans out, you might find a new talent or passion along the way!

These are my top tips that I've been using in order to fight boredom. I was going to write about the Tv shows that I've been watching, but I will talk all about that in another blog post in the next week or two. I hope these tips and suggestions have been helpful, and you've found some form of inspiration to beat you own boredom either from the comfort of your own home, orby venturing outside on a good day.

If anyone has any good ways to fight boredom, or things they think I should try that I haven't mentioned here, then please sound off in the comments below.

B x