Activities to do during lockdown that can add up in your portfolio

Once you begin to think about it, there’s no limit to the number of activities that you can participate in during the COVID lockdown and here is a list of activities which can keep you busy and add in your portfolio

4 min readNew DelhiApr 14, 2020 02:38 PM IST First published on: Apr 12, 2020 at 03:53 PM IST

Painting, online study; list of activities which can keep you busy and add in your portfolio. Representational image/ gettyimages.in

— Written by Abhishek Singhal

Not just marks and applications but a good portfolio is also required to get admission into a varsity abroad. As the entire globe has come to a standstill amid the coronavirus lockdown, what can one do to build their portfolio? The answer is — a lot.

Paint: The internet is brimming with suggestions, tutorials, magical hyper-lapses, paint-along videos. Complaining that you do not know how to paint, or that you wish you had company, is not a good enough excuse for procrastination anymore. Paint on paper, paint murals on walls, paint on newspaper, fabric.

Read| How to make a portfolio? Combining best pieces of work is not the right way to go about it

Journal: Keeping a journal has been key to many breakthroughs of many brilliant minds. You do not have to type out a journal every day. Journaling has been proven to open up your mind to more creative thought in every field. Write in your journal, type it, paint it, make a mind map, do whatever suits your personality. At best, it could get the creative juices flowing and help you with your college essays, or maybe a novella. At worst, you will have a detailed account of your days in lockdown. Ever heard of Anne Frank?

Learn to bake or cook: Learn to be self-reliant. How many of us know how to stitch a button? This might not help in building a profile, but it will definitely help you when you live alone abroad.

Offer virtual companionship for people who are impacted by COVID-19: If you have a course in psychology, this is the time to put it to use. Everyone now is connected to video chat. Offer some time to someone in need, daily. A little company goes a long way in times like this.

Read| How coronavirus disrupted Indian students’ study abroad dream

Show commitment for a prior commitment: Do not let the lockdown lock you down. If there is a project that got interrupted by the lockdown, physically being apart from your team should not stop you from completing it. Choose one or two activities that you enjoyed pursuing pre-pandemic. Practicing a musical instrument at a professional level? You could practice with discipline, and connect with your teacher online. Try, and succeed, to maintain a level of continuity in your commitments. Robotics project stuck in the works? Gather your friends, delegate responsibilities, complete it.

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Research project: If there is a topic that is always been close to your heart, this is the perfect opportunity for uninterrupted time at your fingertips. It is also possible that some of the elusive experts — who were usually really hard to get a hold of because they were too busy — might have some time at hand. Approach them, write to them, get some invaluable guidance and inputs and make the most of this opportunity.

Self-driven projects study: A number of universities offer free, and paid, certifications, MOOC’s, and courses online. Many are self-paced and are easily available. This would be a great time to upskill yourself. One can also take up online projects and collaborate for an online fundraiser. Participate in digithons, hackathons, or any other kind of challenge that you would have never dreamt of doing because of time constraints. The virtual world is bursting with content right now, and the largest consumer is the young generation. Gather a bunch of friends and start a blog based on a specialisation. How to debate louder, Secret basketball moves, Social Media and how to navigate it.

Once you begin to think about it, there’s no limit to the number of activities that you can participate in during the COVID lockdown. Remember though, first make your bed, help your mom dad with chores, and only then disappear into the world of your new-found project!

— The author is co-founder UnivAdmitHelp