[CHAT] Holiday boredom. It's a thing??
We’ve all experienced it at some point in our school lives. We get on the home stretch for the year and absolutely crave being on holidays. Next thing we know, we’ve been on holidays for five weeks and have achieved absolutely nothing. Sound familiar? Yep, thought so. You’re experiencing holiday boredom!
It’s understandable too. The summer holidays are really long. For years 11s, 12s and uni students, holidays started over a month ago. The holidays are also often spent with the people you live with working part or full time.
For me, the boredom really sets in after New Years. I work in retail, so December is always very busy and my hours triple. In about the second week of January, I notice that I tend to be a bit lazy. I wake up later than usual, I mope around watching tv, eating whatever and whenever I feel like. Sure, this can be great for a day or two, but after a while you start to think ‘I am really wasting my time.’ Because before you know it, school or uni starts again, and you feel like those three months were a missed opportunity. Don't get me wrong though - doing nothing can be a great use of time if you're purposeful and mindful about it.
I remember the end of year 6 and end of year 7 holidays were actually not good for me. I was incredibly bored and in turn felt really low. I overate, didn’t exercise and spent all day every day on the internet. I basically wasted all my time, just waiting for the next school year to start. My Dad ended up taking me on a trip to Melbourne near the end of one of the holidays, just so that I had done something during the 10 week period.
I know that myself and my friends sometimes go through phases during the long summer holidays. One summer holidays I got really into photography and editing, another I got into running and getting super fit. I think it’s really great when this happens. To actually find an interest during the holidays gives you purpose, which gives you motivation to get up and do things!
The summer holidays are a wonderful time to explore our interests and have fun, let’s not waste this precious time by being bored! Join us on December 15th from 8pm to talk about how we can combat holiday boredom, and really make the most of our free time.
Great idea @stonepixie!
I currently live in Hobart, so there aren't a huge number of cool free events going around. I do occasionally go to free gigs or markets. However soon I will be living in Melbourne with friends and can't wait to go to lots of events!
How do you stop yourself from being bored/ getting bored for extended periods of time like weeks or months??
I think the key to combating long term boredom is learning a new skill or hobby. Especially starting something from scratch - that way you can invest time and energy into something that you enjoy
Either that or starting up something that you used to do but no longer had time for. I did that with playing my guitar. I was really bored and starting playing again after not playing for years, Now I make time to play!
I was so bored today I ironed! I ironed.... never even touched an iron until today.
@florenceforever i think ironing is even more boring than being bored, now i rememeber why i never did it.
How do you sstop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
i bake
go for a run
this sounds so lame but i have a "colouring in book for adults" so i colour in for a bit
read
watch reruns ... i have seen new girl almosts 20 times ... its all i have on my computer
@EloiseRose
They are all great ideas! I seriously need to get back into cooking and baking. I love it! But I never feel like I have time. And when I am bored and have ample amounts of time, I always lack the inspiration to do it.
I also love your 'adult colouring book' to be honest, I didn't know they existed!
How do you stop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
I usually continue to whine about how bored I am while staring at the tv and eventually the internet rescues me.
Haha @j95
Yes I have often been rescued by the internet! I definitely have a love/hate relationship with it
Thought I might stop by and join in. 🙂
How do you stop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
I usually just surf the interwebs, watch movies, binge on tv or if I'm feeling really energetic, I'll go for walks. 🙂
Hey @stonepixie
Lovely to hear from you!
I do pretty much all the same things as you!
@EloiseRose wrote:
How do you sstop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
this sounds so lame but i have a "colouring in book for adults" so i colour in for a bit
Not lame at all @EloiseRose I really want one of those!!
So we are kind of getting into the next q
so tell me
How do you stop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
One great tip to prevent boredom is to hang out with or it some way chat with others. It's a lot harder to get bored with other people around. Also, trying to do a variety of things and not spending too long on one thing can help prevent boredom.
I think mixing it up a bit and not spending too long on one thing is a great idea @Randomness 🙂
How do you stop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
This is a tricky one! Because often when I'm bored I either: a) am giving myself a break from the world and don't actually want to be doing anything. Or b) have no motivation to do anything because I'm bored and feel completely dis-interested.
Some things I've come up with though are:
- Doing small activities - instead of cleaning up my WHOLE room (which whilst bored seems completely overwhelming) just playing some music on Spotify and cleaning for three songs
- Going for a walk - always clears my mind and I feel great after doing it
- Talking to somebody. Even if it is over social media.
- Going on the reachout forums!!! 😄
How do you stop yourself from being bored in the short term like hours or a day?
-going for walks
-making food
-writing
Great ideas @delicatedreamer and @Student94!!
I'll definitely keep them in mind the next time I'm bored
How do you know when you’re starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you’re not bored next minute you are?
i know im getting bored when i cant concerntrate on a book im reading ... becuase im just uninterested
or im watching crappy tv that i generally love then i realise i have zoned out for two hours and havent listend to anything
Why don’t people like to be bored? Some people find it really hard to deal with boredom
Its a social thing i think.
No one wants to appear like they arent doing anything constructuve.
People i think dont like to feel aimless or like they arent achieving anything
Totally with @EloiseRose about the societal thing, I think boredom can be linked to laziness so if someone says "I'm bored" the obvious answer is get up off your .... and do something. So there's a negative feeling in that we're bored because we're not doing anything & hence not being useful or contributing to society maybe?? Which is not always the case!!! Sometimes I've been doing some sort of work or chores & I've still been bored even if I am doing something useful!!
