After coronavirus–induced lockdown in March, all U.S. states started to reopen in the past month or so. However, a growing number of states are now slowing or pausing their plans to reopen amid spike in the number of cases. Many states are even re-imposing restrictions, including closing down bars and restaurant.
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No one wants another lockdown, but if such a situation arises, you should be aware of the options you have to keep yourselves entertained. To help you choose, we have listed below the most popular options that Americans turned to during the lockdown.
Activities to keep you entertain
Keeping yourself busy is very important because many would have realized by now that lockdown could be frustrating. Also, always remember that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. So, here are the most popular options:
Socialising virtually
A large number of people used the lockdown to get in touch with their friends and family virtually. Many surveys indicate that people used the phone, social media or video conferencing as a medium to contact the friend and family. As per the video-conferencing tool Zoom, its global daily users increased from 10 million in December last year to 300 million in April.
Watching films and series
Many people used the lockdown to watch their favorite movies and serials. Binge watching was one of the favorite activities for many during the lockdown. Netflix and Amazon Prime also witnessed a rise in the number of users amid the lockdown.
Not all used paid subscription services to watch movies during the lockdown. There are sites like Openculture that offer free movies to watch online. Apart from movies and web-series, many also used the free time to watch documentaries. Some popular sites for documentaries are Documentary Tube, Documentary Heaven and more.
Mobile gaming
Mobile gaming was already a hit prior to the coronavirus pandemic, but it gained more steam during the lockdown. As per the data from market intelligence firm App Annie, weekly average download numbers for mobile games hit a record 1.2 billion in March. Further, the data found that on an average people downloaded 35% more games in March than January. PUBG, Fortnite, Clash Of Clans, Call of Duty, and Uno, were some of the popular online games during the lockdown.
Online casino
This was another popular activity that people picked up during the lockdown. With a ban on travel, closure of physical gambling venues and cancellation of sports events, many people turned to online casinos to choose the best slots without leaving their homes. These online casinos not just attracted new players, but regular players increased their betting amount during the lockdown as well.
Data showed that search interest in online casinos saw a significant spike in many countries. A few months back, Morgan Stanley even noted that the coronavirus pandemic might encourage more U.S. states to legalize online casino and sports betting.
Reading books
Books are a man’s best friend, and many realized this during the lockdown. Many people turned to their favorite books and novels to keep themselves occupied during the lockdown. This not only helped them spend quality time but also enhance their knowledge of people, society, history and culture.
Exercising
With gyms closed, many people took up the challenge to stay fit even while staying indoor. Many people were successful as well. They emerged with their body in better shape than it was prior to the lockdown. People took up yoga or Pilates. Many fitness trainers were also offering classes online during the lockdown. Moreover, people also benefitted from the fitness and aerobics videos on YouTube.
Home repair/makeover
The lockdown also provided time, as well as an opportunity to many to give their home a fresh new look. People posted photos of their home after putting new curtains and trying a new combination by moving tables, chairs and sofas around the house.
Cooking
The lockdown also provided an opportunity to many to discover the hidden chef in themselves. Those who already knew how to cook used the lockdown to try different recipes and cuisines. And, those who never tried their hands in cooking before realized that it isn’t rocket science. Social media platforms were filled with images of special dishes that people made during the lockdown.
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