By — Taylor Byrne 

As winter continues, there are several chances for snow in the upcoming weeks, possibly a lot over the next few days. Snow days and weekends are the perfect times to take some time for yourself.

Historically, snow days are spent as a day for sledding, skiing or snowboarding depending on where you live. However, due to Covid this may not be a safe option for students this year. Luckily there are several alternative activities students can enjoy on their day off.

Besides catching up on school work or chores, as I am sure many parents have told you to, there are several ways to have a productive, yet relaxing day off. 

One of the best ways to spend a day indoors is to read a book. Maybe there is a new series you’ve been meaning to start, or a favorite read that never gets old. This is the perfect opportunity to cozy up with a warm drink and a good read. Nothing is quite as comforting as losing yourself in an addicting book.

However if reading isn’t your cup of tea, you can never go wrong with watching a movie or two. There is no shortage of movie series to indulge in on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and many more. Some franchises that never disappoint that I highly recommend are the Marvel franchise movies, The Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings series, and The Star Wars Saga. If a movie series isn’t what you are looking for, Netflix’s top 3 movies this week has some new gems to view. 

The number one movie on Netflix today is All About the Benjamins starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps. This movie is an action/comedy movie about a bounty hunter and a con-man who team up to find a missing stash of diamonds and a lottery ticket worth millions. While this movie was released in 2002 it was recently added to netflix and rose to the number one watched movie this week. 

The second must watch movie on Netflix today is Finding ‘Ohana. This movie is a family adventure about two teenagers traveling to Hawaii who stumble upon a journal with instructions to find long-lost treasure. The journey will connect them with their Hawaiian heritage and find new friends along the way. 

The number three most watched movie on Netflix today is The Dig. This one is a historical drama set just before WWII. A widow hires a self-taught archeologist to dig up strange findings on her land. These events will lead to a surprising discovery. 

Besides movies Netflix also has popular television shows to dive into this weekend.

The new television series Firefly Lane is a new drama series about two best friends who face the challenges and triumphs of life together. All while trying to keep their long standing friendship alive. It ranked today’s number one watched series. 

In recent weeks people have been obsessed with Bridgerton a period drama about a young woman’s debut into the London marriage market. However, the season doesn’t unfold as planned, bringing rumors and lies into London high society. I can’t speak for everyone, but I believe this show earned it’s number two spot on the Netflix most watched list. 

The third most watched television show this week is Mariposa de Barrio. A drama about a mexican-american singer’s journey to becoming a star while battling adversity. 

As distance learning continues perhaps students need some time away from the screen. Fortunately there are also several activities you can do away from technology. 

One of the most relaxing and rewarding experiences,  is to take a self care day, whatever that means for you. Perhaps it’s listening to your favorite music, doing a facemask, talking with your family and friends, crafting, journaling, or my personal favorite baking and cooking. 

On the popular social media app, TikTok, there is no shortage of food trends to try for yourself. Right now one of the most popular cooking trends is the feta cheese challenge. This is a savory pasta dish involving tomatoes and feta cheese. So head over to TikTok to check it out. 

You can also get creative, baking a warm treat on a cold winter’s day is a great way to spend the afternoon. After putting the hard work into your sweet dish, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor with a warm dessert. 

Hopefully these suggestions will help you to take full advantage of your weekends or the next snow day (fingers crossed) in a fun and safe way.