After the banana bread, the TikTok dances, and the zoom quizzes came the boredom and, in that boredom, we all found new and interesting things to do on the internet. Lockdown was nothing like anything anyone had experienced before which is probably why we all turned to the internet to entertain ourselves.
Though we have regained much of our offline lives now, below are nine of the most popular things people chose to do online during lockdown. Some may surprise you and some definitely won’t! Let’s take a look.
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1. Online shopping
Even during a lockdown, there was no satisfying the need to shop! People moved from the physical store to the online store and sales of loungewear, pyjamas, and anything else with an elastic waistband went through the roof! It was a great time to be an online retailer!
2. Online gambling
To stifle the boredom, turn a quick profit and enjoy the buzz of competition, many turned to online casino and slot games, using sites like Fruity Slots to compare and contrast the many different options out there. Whether playing poker, using virtual slot machines or blackjack, people found joy in online casino games.
3. Gaming
Another popular way to pass some free time in lockdown was to game! Many re-ignited their love of nostalgic games like the Sims or took their home team all the way to the top on games like FIFA or battle away on a shoot-em-up like Call of Duty!
4. Crafting
With all that free time, people suddenly had the hours and the headspace to learn new crafts they had always wanted to. Lockdown, for those furloughed, was the perfect opportunity to learn to knit, paint, crochet, and cross-stitch. Crafting was also a great way to take a moment of peace in an overwhelming time!
5. Learning new languages
While we were restricted to our living rooms, some took this as the opportunity to expand their minds. Learning a new language became a fun way to keep your mind active during furlough and a way to prepare to travel as soon as we could!
6. Learning new skills
Like crafting and language skills, many also took this opportunity to try their hand at skills they wouldn’t normally have had time to. Gardening, cooking, baking, and many more skills suddenly became top searches on Google, and we all had banana bread coming out of our ears for a few weeks!
7. Binging TV shows
Whether you were watching Tiger King or the newest Netflix drama, online streaming services had a pretty good year, didn’t they? After crafting all morning, learning to conjugate Latin verbs in the afternoons, and cooking a three-course menu for dinner, it was time to relax, and binge watch all the shows on your watchlist.
8. Watching ‘live’ music events
Even as arenas were closed and live gigs couldn’t take place, many of our favourite singers and musicians took to Instagram to perform ‘live.’ For some, this became a weekly event and others took the opportunity to raise money for charities while they livestreamed.
In addition to music, other arts moved to the online livestreaming stage too, including plays, ballets, opera, and musicals. It was a truly accessible time for the arts!
9. Zoom calls and quizzes
And last but not least, the most divisive of all the ways we passed the time in lockdown. For some, even hearing the phrase ‘Zoom quiz’ sends them running, but we certainly found ways to be creative during our zoom calls! From fancy dress parties to music quizzes, Zoom was the place to be during lockdown!
