100 Things to Look Forward to This Fall and Winter

Send a book, get a book: Set up a book exchange with friends where you mail a book, read it, then send it along to the next person on the list. Once you're done with one cycle, start another with a fresh selection of reads. You can also do this same system with other items, like puzzles or board games.

Establish a TBR fall/winter list: Create a "to be read" list of reads, then make it a mission to knock out all the books by the end of winter (deadline of March 21, set). While compiling your list, make sure to make it realistic for yourself—for example, if you're a leisurely reader, limit it to five books (roughly one for each month). Hot tip: Get a friend to do it with you (with their own list of books) so you can hold each other accountable.

Guess that scent: Put your nose to the test with this fun guessing game. Grab the candles you already own, put them in brown paper bags, mix them up so you're not sure which is which, and try to sniff out the scents. Take notes, then compare with what the candle actually is when you reveal it, and find out how well you really know your candles. If you have housemates, have them join in on the fun, too.

Virtual potluck, "Chopped" style: Write common pantry staples on individual strips of paper, throw them in a bowl, and pick three at random. Then, communicate the ingredients to a group of friends, and let everyone get cooking/baking with the three ingredients, plus up to three additional items of their choosing. Pick a night to come together with what each person made, share findings, and—most importantly—have a lot of laughs.

Short story club: Start doing a virtual short story club with a group of friends or family. Someone different picks a short story (that's available for free online), and every week you pick a night to discuss. It's a low-lift way to keep reading and stay in touch with friends. If you want to go an extra step, everyone make a $5 donation for the charity of your choosing every week.

Treat yourself with learning: Browse MasterClass, Coursera, Airbnb Online Experiences, etc. and treat yourself to one class that's something you've always wanted to learn more about or have a passion for. Don't think about it in a practical sense—and who knows where it might take you (like, discovering your purpose, perhaps?)

Dream virtual destination: Pick a destination that you've always wanted to travel to (perhaps it was on your 2020/2021 list) and create an at-home itinerary that's inspired by it! For example, if you select the Greek islands, take a virtual tour of Mykonos, sign up for a virtual Greek cooking class where you can learn to make a traditional dish, play Greek music in the background all day—even take some Greek lessons on Duolingo, if you feel inspired to do so.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com