Friday, March 20, 2020 Emily Johnson's guide for solo entertainment during COVID-19
Emily Johnson, a senior global studies, political science, and Spanish major, is the former ASUN president and student regent. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own and do not neccesarily reflect the opinions of UNL or ASUN.
In light of the fact most of us are spending the next month cooped up in our homes, I built this list of resources to keep our minds sharp and growing. Reading and projects are all great distractions, but can never fully-replace personal interactions with other humans. We live in the digital age - continue using technology to interact with loved ones and making sure the people in your community are well.
READING
Magazines
Audiobooks
- Libby by Overdrive. A mobile phone or tablet app that links with your library card to get free eBook downloads for up to three weeks.
Classics
- 25 Books You Probably Should Have Read Already
- Time Magazine’s All-Time Best 100 Novels
- The Guardian’s Top 100 Books of All Time
- Literary Hub’s A Century of Reading: The 10 Books that Defined the 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s
Entertaining Series
-
Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- Agatha Christie mystery novels
- Eragon series by Christopher Paolini
- Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin
Underrepresented Authors
Note: Did you know 88% of books reviewed by The New York Times are written by white authors? Also, books written by women are priced at 45% lower than books written by their male counterparts. You should incorporate some diversity into your reading selections.
- Buzzfeed’s 21 Books By POC Writers That You Should Definitely Read At Some Point
- Penguin’s Best Books by Female Authors
- Indy 100’s 23 Books by Authors of Color
- The ZORA Canon: 100 Greatest Books by African American Women
GAMES
Online
- New York Times Daily Mini Crossword
- Quiz Up is a fun, social trivia game.
- UNL Intramural Sports Esports Leagues during COVID-19.
- The Top 11 Platforms for Esports Tournaments Online
TED Talks
PODCASTS
- 100 podcasts, ranked with links and descriptions
- Time’s 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Now
- Smithsonian Magazine’s 18 Best Podcasts to Listen to in 2020
FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS
- Famous Museums with Virtual Tours
- Stream Met Opera Performances for Free
- Filmed on Stage: Stream Broadway Shows Online
- 'Quarantine soirees': classical music and opera to stream at home