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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Jack's What to Bring, IV (Entertainment)

sponsored by 
La Crema Coffee and Roastery
La Conner, WA

Stuck in a dorm room, sometimes you have to have some sort of entertainment to break from all the schooling. And sometimes you gotta step away from the computer.

Jack says: [And sometimes you write blogs revolving around inanimate objects...]

In this techno-raging era, of course the go-to boredom-buster will be TV, video games, and the internet. Well, even these will become somewhat of a bore (or even too much of a distraction), so I'm going to offer other venues of entertainment, since these are so ingrained in or lives that they're second nature. I'll name a few things that can get you out of boredom, and yes, outside. So, brace yourself.

As a librarian and avid reader, my first recommendation will, of course, be reading.
I'm not saying it's the first thing I grab for, but it's a good start for this list. It doesn't even have to be books; you can use magazines, comic books, graphic novels, web comics, online articles, newspapers, and any other written media. Just read something...actually, I personally have a line of what I won't count as reading, but you can all have yours.

Jack says: [He just put me here...but I do kind of like these*]

If you're inclined to create, like draw, paint, sculpt, carve, etc., then by golly bring some supplies to do so! Just because you have classes and homework doesn't mean creativity ends. If you forget supplies, the AS Bookstore also carries a variety of supplies for Art Majors that have run out of everything from paper to paint to carving tools.

Puzzles are always a good way to keep your mind going, whether they're Crosswords, Sudoku, Word Search, Scrabble, actual jigsaw puzzles, Rubix Cubes, and Portal...wait, that involves a computer / TV ...(still counts, though).

One can type and / or write to kill time--if you're into that sort of thing. I know writing and reading are generally not a favorite of college students, but there are many who do still enjoy it--like myself. Last year I typed on my typewriter for an hour while waiting for my laundry. You can also start writing letters with a penpal, whether in your dorm hall, on campus, or somewhere else in the world.

[Don't worry, the writer doesn't bring the typewriter to class]

Bringing a deck of cards is a must, because sometime within the school year someone will want to play either Go Fish!, War, Egyptian Rat-Slap, Baseball, Black Jack, Texas Hold 'Em, or any variety of card games, and these can be very entertaining, especially when you 'up the ante' and bet with a variety of things, as seen here.

[Hell, once you dust them off, you may even find a group of people that will fight against your deck of Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon cards]

Now, to get outside. College is full of different groups of people, all hanging out together--especially when it's sunny. Some activities I've seen outside include: 
  • Frisbee
  • Hula hooping
  • Hookah smoking
  • Humans Versus Zombies (more later)
  • Football
  • Hiking
  • Soccer
  • Skateboarding
  • Biking
  • Basketball
  • Boomerang
  • Volleyball
  • Slack-rope walking
  • Climbing
  • Swimming
  • Free running (parkour)
So, you should bring some essential things for these, like a bike, skateboard, soccer ball, football, basketball, hookah, swim suit, etc.

Music is always a good way to be entertained...or at least have it in the background while doing other things. I suggest a pair of decent speakers--or headphones, in case your musical taste is "unique" from your roommate.

Hanging out! Get out there and make new friends, and then go do awesome stuff with those friends! This can include going to a hookah bar, performing music on the streets, getting hot dogs at 2 a.m., driving to Canada, having sex, going to concerts and shows, go drinking / partying, gambling at casinos, dressing up fancily for dinners, write a web comic together, create a new cult, hypnotizing each other, ordering pizza way too early in the morning, watching movies, etc.

Basically what this post is all about is knowing that there will be several hours you have to fill at some point. It is best start thinking about it now, while you can gather supplies to fight boredom. While this list is short and in no way claiming to list everything used to fight boredom, I hope it gets you thinking about this topic before school starts.


* - Books shown are (L to R):
  • Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
  • Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Batman: Dark Victory
  • Trigun, Vol. 1 and 2 / Trigun: Maximum Vol. 1-14 by Yasuhiro Nightow
  • Kate Laster's Deadcat, Vol. 1 (in envelope)
  • Collection of Gerard Way's Umbrella Academy: Dallas, single issues
  • "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" and The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, both by Richard Feynman

Looking for good coffee in La Conner, WA? Look no further than La Crema Coffee and Roastery for your caffeine needs. Great coffee and timely service,  with seating, Wi-Fi, and parking available.
Personally, I like the dirty chai.

I claim no rights to Captain Jack Sparrow, Disney does.

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