Coronavirus Quarantine: Things to Do While Stuck at Home
So you are stuck at home, either because you have contracted coronavirus or are told to stay home by authorities. What can you do to help pass the time until this event is over? Here are some ideas to help get you started. While most of them are intended for home use, a savvy trucker can also make use of these forms of entertainment with the right equipment, such as a laptop.
Streaming Services
Most streaming services offer some amount of time for a free trial. An extremely thrifty individual can cancel their subscription of a service before the trial ends and then move to another to get different content.
Netflix
The old tried and true, Netflix is a good streaming service to use for binge-watching to pass the time. If you have never used it before, you can use your email address to get 30 days free, which should carry you well into April. If you cannot obtain free membership, you are able to cancel at any time.
Disney+
Disney’s primary streaming service. Has a seven day free trial, and then is $7 a month. As a bonus, Disney has moved Frozen II to Disney+ early to help isolated people. Also has various Disney movie brands they have bought over the years such as Marvel and Pixar.
Hulu
Also owned by Disney, but oriented towards programming either not owned by Disney, or programming Disney owns but is not oriented towards the Disney family-friendly brand. First month is free, then it is either $6 or $12 per month depending on if you can handle ads.
Twitch
When most people think of streaming services, they may think of the three above with more recognizable naming and streaming shows and movies. Twitch is a streaming service, but with a focus on live streams and interaction, most notably for video game playing, but can also be used for other things (denoted by the “IRL” tag). Free to use, and with Amazon Prime you can upgrade to TwitchPrime for free, which allows you to avoid advertisements.
YouTube
YouTube not only has user-generated content, but also movies that can be either bought, rented, or viewed for free. One such example is Supersize Me 2: Holy Chicken, a documentary who’s name might ring a few bells from a decade-and-a-half ago.
Computer Gaming
But suppose you want more interaction in your entertainment. There are a variety of different video game libraries that offer free games to play, as well.
Steam
Steam boasts over 3,000 titles labeled as free to play. These range from old games just about any computer can play to software juggernauts. The business model for most of these games though is in-game purchases, so be careful with your in-game decisions!
GOG
Formerly known as “Good Old Games”, GOG focuses primarily on games released in the 20th century but has more modern hits as well. Game selection is more sparse than steam, about 100 in total, but it is worth checking out.
itch.io
itch.io is filled with independent game developers both selling and playtesting their games. The games here tend to be less polished than ones with million-dollar developers behind them, but they can scratch an itch that other games cannot (perhaps that is where the name comes from).
Books
You might be under the impression that you would need to go to a library to get a free book, but those are almost certain to be closed under quarantine. Fortunately for you, there are other ways to read.
Kindle Unlimited
Kindle Unlimited does not need a Kindle book reading device, simply install an app on your smart device or computer and you are good to go. Signing up requires an Amazon account to use.
OpenLibrary
A non-profit Internet library. It contains well over 100,000 books, including ones from famous authors such as H. G. Wells and Lewis Carroll. There are more modern books available as well, such as the Harry Potter series, but those require an account with the OpenLIbrary to read, whereas older books are free for the public.
Audible
Sign up with Audible and get a free audiobook of your choice and thirty days to listen to it. Audible also does you the courtesy of emailing you before your trial ends so you are not hit with a surprise bill in the future.
Conclusion
Provided you have an internet and a computer, there are tons of things you can do while in your house (or truck cabin) waiting for coronavirus hysteria to pass. While we have covered simply free options here today, if you are willing to pay money each of them has various upgrades: even the OpenLibrary allows you to sponsor a book to help keep the OpenLibrary up and running.
However you decide to spend this time, whether trucking on the road or not, remember to always wash your hands.
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