The fact that it is a pandemic does not have to stop people from having fun. It is that much more important to have something to look forward to every day. Days lean one into another, and without routines, it is hard to keep track of what is happening around. Habits help take the first step of the day in the right direction, get work out of the way, and create time for enjoyment. Life is as exciting as people make it. This bucket list is full of fun activities to evolve to better, happier selves instead of waiting until things get back to normal. Work hard in the morning and have a fun plan for the afternoon. Stay safe.

Improvement

1. Create your routines – morning, afterschool, night, weekly, cleaning
2. Set up specific goals – daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly
3. Focus on achieving them – set up deadlines
4. Say yes to every opportunity, but keep in mind your priorities
5. Do a challenge – wake up at 5 am, work out, drink a gallon of water a day, meditate
6. Journal – write your feelings, gratitude, daily achievements, try bullet journaling
7. Learn something new – catch up on HW, study ahead, learn a language or a skill

Inside

1. Clean and organize your space, one drawer at a time
2. Rearrange furniture – change your environment
3. Declutter your digital space – delete blurry pictures, apps you no longer need 
4. Cook new food – try recipes from foreign countries, bake a cake
5. Create something – follow a Bob Ross painting tutorial, fold origami, upcycle old clothes, tie-dye
6. Play games – Xbox, board games, cards, puzzle
7. Explore your style – try a new makeup look, hairstyle, prepare outfits, paint your nails
8. Get cozy – light up a candle, read a book, watch a movie, listen to a podcast
9. Treat yourself – drink a smoothie, coffee or tea
10. Reach out to a friend – write a handwritten letter and send it
11. Play a musical instrument, listen to music, dance, sing (karaoke)
12. Have a spa day – take a bath, dye your hair or get a haircut, pamper yourself with a face mask, jade roller, scrub, lotion
13. Socials – become Tik-Tok famous, go live on Instagram, start a YouTube channel

Outside

1. Go for a walk/hike/run with friends or family
2. Go into a waterpark/swimming/tan outside
3. Ride a bike on a trail
4. Go to a park – Central Park, Wonch Park, or Harris Nature Center in Okemos
5. Go shopping or thrifting
6. Do something for nature – hang up a bird feeder or pick up trash
7. Hunting or archery
8. Have a photoshoot – at Bright Walls Mural in Jackson, 
9. Attend or play sport – basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, softball, baseball
10. Get a massage – Renewed Spirit in Okemos, Massage & Wellness in East Lansing
11. Disc golf, B2B Trail, Fishing, Kayaking
12. Get your nails done
13. Plan a trip and take it
14. Eat ice cream
15. Escape room – EpIQ Escapes in Jackson, ESC The Room in East Lansing, Decode Ann Arbor, Breakout Escape Rooms Ann Arbor
16. Go to a museum – Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ella sharp in Jackson, Michigan Steam Engine and Threshers Club in Mason, Mason Historical Museum, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum in East Lansing
17. Go to galleries – Saper Galleries and Custom Framing in East Lansing
18. Go to a library – Howell Carnegie Library
19. Go to a coffee shop
20. Abrams Planetarium in East Lansing
21. Have a picnic
22. Go camping/have a sleepover
23. Go to a theater – The Michigan Theater in Jackson or Ann Arbor
24. Go to a Movie Theater
25. Skydiving – Skydive Tecumseh in Jackson
26. Axe Play in Jackson
27. Launch in Okemos
28. Visit Universities – Michigan State University in East Lansing, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
29. Skating – Ann Arbor Ice Cube
30. Brighton Recreation Area

1. Create your own bucket list

What is your favorite activity that gets you out of the house?

“I absolutely love riding my 4 wheelers and our ATV machines.” Sidney Gipe 11

“Finding a comfortable spot outside to read a book.” Samantha Cowan 8

“Hanging out with my bf, playing soccer, or going for a walk. I like to be outdoors.” Josie Beutler 10

What is something you often do in your neighborhood?

“We like to host barbecues for our neighbors.” Grace Dreier 11

“Go to the park with my dog.” Elizabeth Platte 12

“I often go for long walks or runs. Sometimes for improvement and fitness, other times to clear my head.” Josie Beutler 10

What helped you evolve into your better self during the pandemic?

“My faith, truly I have grown so much because of my belief in Jesus.” Sidney Gipe 11

“It’s made me realize that things like appearance and social status aren’t really as important as I thought they were. I’ve gained more confidence in myself because of the fact that we’ve been able to stay home and reflect on our past selves and personality. I’ve been able to point out some flaws in myself that I hadn’t noticed before. Overall, this experience has been a long, but possibly needed one.” Emma Kaltschmidt 10

“Reading and painting helped me stay focused and calm my anxiety. It also helped me develop healthy habits to use to cope with my anxiety.” Grace Dreier 11

“I’ve become more hand hygienic. I’ve become more observant to nature and curious of managing more and more responsibilities, as well as getting in the habit of taking healthier routes.” Elizabeth Platte 12

“One idea I started to think about before the pandemic was getting healthier and becoming a better soccer player. Just before the pandemic we had gotten a few practices in and were hyped about our games. After we disbanded, we didn’t get discouraged. Over the pandemic break, I worked really hard to achieve my goals. One of them was to lose weight and gain muscle & endurance. I did that. I shredded around 10 pounds, and I can run at a fair pace for a while without stopping.” Josie Beutler 10