Six Things to Do When You Have Nothing to Do

Having a job that's not school means that I have significantly more free time.  And I mean legitimately free, as in "I am so completely un-scheduled that I'm not even procrastinating right now." Aside from the fact that wherever you are, and especially if you are in a new place, there is always plenty to explore, adventures are often too involved for those awkward hours between a late dinner and a bedtime that's not the same as your students. Back in school, this time was overflowing with rehearsals, homework, work work, and pretending to be productive in order to put off any of the aforementioned tasks.  But now...I've got nothing.  The sensation is so unfamiliar that it still feels weird, so I made this to remind myself how to fill my free time with something slightly more substantial than wondering if I've forgotten something important.

1. Watch movies. I've never been a big movie fan, despite many friends' valiant efforts to inspire and educate me. Nevertheless, I am slowly advancing towards cinematic competency. Every time someone expels incredulously, "You've never seen ----?!" (and this usually follows a quotation or reference that flew right over my head) I make a mental note: Caroline, watch ---- next time you are sitting on your computer, wondering what to do, because you've answered every email and hit the point in your newsfeed where you last stopped reading.

2. Read a book.  Ideally this would be my go-to option.  But it's a bit more challenging here where books are hard to acquire or are in Korean. At school, picking up a book is rarely enticing, mostly because you're already reading so many goddamn books! So "Read a book" has somewhat evolved to be "Learn Something" and here's where I ricochet back to my computer screen. The internet- so much likely fallicious knowledge! It's a corn maze of goats being awesome and documentaries about the history of logic. Then there are those questions of how much information is too much information, and I don't mean the not-safe-for-work-kind. I've been using this super cool site to monitor my time on the internet, in an attempt to go back to books. But like I said it can be difficult.

3. Go outside! Outside, with a book, in the sunshine, iced tea in hand, cheese and crackers...erm, kimchi and rice? And winter weather and the search for grass in a concrete jungle. Actually, Korea has excellent hiking spots, it just takes a little forethought and an extended chunk of daylight.  So the great outdoors is an exploration in the works.

4. Errands (and chores).  I think 'errand' is my mother's favorite word.  They always take longer than they should and are never too fun.  Although living in a foreign country certainly keeps them interesting.  Cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, paying bills, taking out the trash...it can get complicated.  Finding motivation, particularly in the face of the extra complications of language barriers, etc, can also be a challenge.  But sometimes boredom is motivation enough!  More thoughts to come on how living abroad as an American brings to light some of the struggles immigrants and English Language Learners deal with in the States...

5. Have real Skype dates.  When you know you're not going to run into your friends or family any time soon, Skype takes on a completely new purpose.  It's not just another way of contacting people; it becomes an integral component in maintaining and building your relationships. Despite having lived away from home and overseas before, I didn't realize Skype's new role until recently while Skyping with my friend, Willow. Skype dates are a bit of a pain to set up, and it always feels awkward to click the little red X and 'say goodbye' when no one's really going anywhere.  A real Skype date needs a clear purpose.  It's like meeting a friend for coffee- you're (generally) not going for the coffee, you're going for your friend. The car rides with your mom or times you bump into a friend on your way to class are gone, so now your interaction must be intentional.  This doesn't mean it can't be impromptu. But the best Skype conversations are the ones where I decided to talk with the person in the same manner as I decide to watch a movie. It's going to take some finite amount of time, and my attention should be focused, as much as possible, on that person.  Finally, a critical moment in a Skype date or a phone call or anything is to let it end when it's over. If you find yourself scrambling to think of another question you were supposed to ask that 'just slipped my mind,'  just say goodbye! It's okay to hang up. Next time, there will be more to talk about, and you won't feel weird lunging for some mundane topic to which no one has much to contribute.

6. Make something.  I know, I know, watching movies and writing can really be lumped into 'learn something' if you want. But I mean create something.  For me it's often this blog. Sometimes it's a coloring sheet I stole from my kindergarteners. When I'm lucky, it's music or a craft or a plan for an adventure. The amount of creative 'juices' I have now is astonishing, because at school it was entirely sapped up by papers and problem sets and class discussions. Who knew that a college kid could work so hard in between intramural softball and happy hour? It feels good to direct that creative energy into something I choose, to be inspired by something and then create something new. And it's productive!

If you have ideas for how to fill free time, send 'em my way. I also accept movie and book suggestions :D