Five free online activities to take up while staying at home in the UAE

In the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, a lot has changed.

Months after the pathogen first appeared in humans in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, many countries continue to grapple with the new social (and business) order.

As governments recalibrate their losses, introduce stimulus packages and facilitate their citizens in every way possible, the UAE government also activated multiple protocols primarily to safeguard public health, foremost of which was to initiate the work-from-home measure.

As a result, people across industries and non-critical functions in the UAE have set up makeshift offices at homes and stowed away office attires, in what could be several weeks of social and (professional) distancing.

As working parents adapt to the new office settings, simultaneously coming to terms with distant learning programmes, is a quantum of frustration bound to creep in?

If that be the case, and with some extra time on one’s hands (given that commuting and physical meetings are no longer on the agenda), finding innovative ways to stay engaged is one’s best bet.

Here’s a look at a few online activities and resources that will help you make the most of any extra time you might have.

Languages

Being proficient in vernaculars is always beneficial but if being a polyglot was ever a dream, now is the time to realise it. Being multi-lingual has more advantages than one. So, pick on a language of your choice (read Chinese, French and Spanish). For starters, the BBC website has some great free online resources for lingual enthusiasts.

Writing

Now is the time to get that pen in motion and put down those thoughts.  Online education portal Coursera is offering a range of creative and academic writing courses to help aspiring writers. Meanwhile, the Open University has a free fiction writing course that is designed to help you set characters and settings in motion for your debut fictional pursuit. It also offers a free statement of participation on completion.

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies

Online resource Coursera is offering several blockchain and cryptocurrency courses. For beginners, the Introduction to Blockchain technologies course, spread across approximately 17 hours of learning, is a great place to start. It also offers courses surrounding fintech, payment methods, and digital currencies.

Photography

Taking wind of tough times ahead, The Professional Photographers of America has pitched in to make things easier by opening all its online education for photographers and small business owners worldwide for the next two weeks. All one is required to do is to create a free account and login to access over 1,100+ online classes. Online marketplace Udemy too offers free photography courses as well as bite-sized tutorials.

Cooking

No better time than now to get those chopping skills sorted. Online culinary school Rouxbe is offering a free 30-day membership with no upfront payment or credit card details required. The website is offering access to 13 full culinary courses and 75 lessons to help enthusiasts master techniques such as mastering the fry pan and honing knife skills.