Bored In Class? What To Do. Great ideas for 2024

Bored In Class?

Fun things to do when bored in class

Have a great idea to avoid classroom boredom? Post it in the comments section below!

Here are a few great tips to stay awake from That Tech Jeff

Bored in class? Read a magazine, comic book or novel secretly.

Pick a book or magazine that’s the same size as or smaller than your textbook, and hide it behind the book so you can see it. Remember to look up occasionally to see if your teacher is walking around and to pretend like you’re paying attention when you are bored in class.

Learn to spin a pencil over your thumb. Use a smooth, weighted pen or pencil to start, and figure out how to balance it on your fingers. Then, hold the pencil between your thumb and pointer finger, and use your middle finger to push the pencil around your thumb. Be sure to catch it as it spins back around into your palm!

• This skill takes some practice, so it’s great for killing time when you are bored in class.
• Beware that you’ll probably drop your pencil frequently when you’re first learning how to spin it. It may be best to only try this if you’re sitting near the back of the class!

Bored in class? Make a game out of the class with a friend. Entertain yourself by counting how many students are wearing a school sweatshirt, or try to guess which color car will drive by the window next. If you’re sitting by a friend, quietly make bets on what you think will happen. Try to keep your games lighthearted and fun. Remember to be polite and respectful to your classmates when you are bored in class, especially if they’re paying attention and involved in the lesson.

Bored in class? Chew gum or eat a piece of hard candy. If your teacher allows food in class, pop a piece of gum or candy in when you start to get bored. This will give you something to do and can help keep you awake. You can even make a game by closing your eyes and trying to guess the flavor if you have a few different candy flavors.

Tip: Eating sweet candy can give you a mini sugar rush, which will help you stay awake through the class.

Bored in class? Play with a computer or tablet if you’re allowed to. For computer-based lessons or advanced classes, you might be able to have a laptop or tablet to take notes and do exercises. During a boring class, pull up social media or open up a simple game, like Minesweeper or Snake, to keep yourself entertained. Remember that the people sitting around you will be able to see your screen, so avoid browsing on questionable sites.

• If your school doesn’t allow laptops or tablets in class, be sure to keep yours out of sight. It’s very difficult to hide a tablet or laptop, and if you get caught, your teacher might confiscate it.
• Remember to turn the sound off on your tablet or laptop so you don’t disturb other students. If you’re in a computer class, ask your teacher if you’re able to wear headphones.

Bored in class? Text your friends secretly during class. This is a riskier move if your school doesn’t allow students to use phones during class. Try to keep your phone concealed by holding it under your desk, in your pocket, or behind a book. Stick to short messages that you can type quickly without looking, like “So bored in class.”

Tip: In case your teacher comes around, make sure you have a place to hide your phone out of sight.

Bored in class? Do easy homework for another class. If you got assigned a simple worksheet for French class or a few easy math problems for Geometry, lay that work over your notes. Do your homework inconspicuously and quickly, and remember to look up sometimes to make it look like you’re taking notes for class.

• If you’re worried about having your homework confiscated, ask your teacher if it’s okay to do
• the homework in their class. Some teachers might only allow this if you’ve already finished the lesson or work for their class that day.

Jot down a to-do list or a weekly schedule. If you have a lot going on in your classes, use boring class time to write a list of things you need to do to clear your mind. Try making a timeline of things to do for an upcoming project or a study schedule for your exams. You can make different lists for each of your classes or just make one longer list for all of your classes and activities.

• Making lists can encourage creativity and help get rid of anxiety about upcoming assignments or tests.
• Keep in mind that you can make lists about pretty much anything. If you want to make a list about your top 10 favorite movies or books, you can!

Use colored pencils or pens to doodle and decorate your notes. If you feel like you’ve taken a million notes and just can’t pay attention anymore, go back through and review your notes. Highlight important parts, underline information you need to know for a test, and draw pictures of important figures and ideas. When you look back over your notes to study, your doodles and markings can help you remember the information.

• This will keep you entertained and engaged with the lesson so you’re still doing a bit of studying!
• You can also draw geometric patterns, circles, or even random shapes in the margins of your notes. Most teachers won’t mind a little doodling since it keeps you occupied and you don’t disturb the class.

Write a short story in your notebook. Come up with a story about your favorite fictional character, your favorite celebrity, or even yourself! Keep your pen or pencil on the paper and let your thoughts roam free to write a short story. Remember to look up occasionally so that your teacher thinks you’re writing notes for class.

Tip: If you enjoy writing, carry a separate notebook with you that’s just for short stories. Then, whenever you’re bored, you can pull out the notebook and pick up the plot where you left off!

Take very detailed notes to stay focused on the lesson. If you know what the teacher is talking about, the lesson will be much less boring. Print out the syllabus and, if they are available, any visual aids for the class. Use these and your textbook to help you take notes as your teacher speaks.

• Remember to write down any questions that you might have about the lesson. You can ask your teacher for clarification at the end of the lesson or after class.
• You can structure your notes in whatever method works best for you. Whether it’s using bullet points, writing in shorthand, making headings and subheadings, or all of the above, you can make your notes work for you.

Make Your Notes Exciting

Use a pen that’s your favorite color.

Add bullet points to make lists of important information.

Draw pictures and charts of complex topics to make them easier to understand.

Type up your notes after class to review the information.

Listen carefully to the teacher and follow along with the lesson. Even if it’s not the most fascinating lesson, you may save yourself time on the homework or grief on the tests later. If you’re too bored or tired to take notes, simply watch the teacher while they talk or read along in the book.

• If you have trouble paying attention in general, ask to be seated at the front of the classroom. That way, you’ll know the teacher can see you.

Participate in class discussion and ask questions. The time will pass much faster when you are engaged in the material. Ask about the assigned text and what you haven’t understood, or offer counterpoints to someone else’s opinion in class. Offer to volunteer in group work or demonstrations to show your teacher that you’re engaged in the lesson.

• When you need to ask a question, make eye contact with your teacher and raise your hand to let them know. Most teachers won’t be upset if you ask for clarification during the lesson, since they want their students to understand the material.

Use group work to talk to friends and classmates.

In some classes, teachers will allow students to work in pairs or small groups on projects, worksheets, or even homework. Take time to talk to your classmates about the lesson, and ask them questions if you’re confused or lost. If you finish your work with extra time, you can talk about whatever you want!

• If you know a lot about the lesson topic, you can also try to help other students who might still be learning the information. This will help keep you engaged and interested in the topic.

Check out 50 Of The Sassiest And Funniest Test Answers

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NEW

One unusual method used to defeat classroom boredom is the incorporation of “escape room” style activities into the learning environment. This involves transforming the classroom into a setting where students must solve puzzles, complete tasks, and decode clues to “escape” or achieve a specific goal. These activities are designed to be highly interactive, engaging, and collaborative, making the learning process fun and dynamic.

Rodger’s Hilariously Boring Day in Class

Once upon a time, in the quaint little town of Mundaneville, there lived a man named Rodger. Rodger was no ordinary man; he was a master of finding himself in the most peculiar situations. One fateful day, Rodger found himself enrolled in a class that would forever go down in history as the most boring class he had ever encountered.

It all began on a sunny Monday morning. Rodger, bleary-eyed and clutching a cup of lukewarm coffee, shuffled into the classroom. He took a seat at the back, where he believed he would go unnoticed. Little did he know, this was the class that had a reputation for turning even the liveliest souls into zombies.

As the teacher, Professor Dullington, entered the room, Rodger’s eyes widened. Professor Dullington was a master of monotone speech and an enthusiast of teaching ancient knitting techniques. Yes, you read that right—knitting techniques. The class was titled “Advanced Ancient Textile Arts,” and it promised to explore the riveting world of knitting patterns from civilizations long gone by.

Rodger stifled a yawn and glanced around the room. The other students had expressions ranging from mild confusion to outright despair. He spotted a girl in the corner doodling a spaceship made out of yarn on her notebook. This was going to be an adventure, Rodger thought, an adventure into the realm of mind-numbing boredom.

Professor Dullington began his lecture with a dramatic reading of a 2000-year-old knitting manual. Rodger’s mind started to wander, and he found himself imagining ancient civilizations battling it out with giant knitting needles instead of swords. He chuckled quietly at the absurdity of his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Professor Dullington droned on about the intricacies of purl stitches, warp threads, and the social significance of color choices in ancient knitting circles. Rodger decided to get creative. He grabbed a piece of paper and started folding it into various shapes. Soon, he had created a paper airplane that was worthy of an aeronautical engineering award.

With a stealthy glance around the room, Rodger launched his paper airplane. It soared gracefully across the classroom and landed right on the teacher’s desk. Professor Dullington paused mid-sentence, his eyes wide with shock. The entire class held its breath, waiting for the inevitable outburst.

To everyone’s surprise, Professor Dullington picked up the paper airplane and unfolded it. He glanced at the doodles and the hastily scribbled message that read, “Fly, little plane, and escape this sea of knitting nonsense!” A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and a chuckle escaped him. “Indeed, my dear students, let us take a moment to appreciate the art of paper folding,” he proclaimed.

The class erupted into laughter, and Rodger’s heart skipped a beat. He had inadvertently brought an unexpected moment of humor to the classroom. Professor Dullington proceeded to discuss the parallels between paper folding and knitting, drawing laughter and groans from the students in equal measure.

As the weeks went by, Rodger’s escapades continued. He perfected the art of creating intricate paper sculptures during class, from dragons to miniature castles. Each creation added an element of surprise and delight to the otherwise tedious lectures. Professor Dullington began to anticipate Rodger’s imaginative displays, often incorporating them into his lectures with a good-natured grin.

One day, as Rodger was crafting an elaborate paper replica of the Eiffel Tower, he realized that he had unwittingly become the class clown. The other students looked forward to his antics as a respite from the sea of ancient knitting techniques. What started as a way to cope with boredom had turned into a source of entertainment for the entire class.

As the semester drew to a close, Professor Dullington approached Rodger after class. “You, my dear Rodger, have added a touch of whimsy to this class that I could never have anticipated,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Your paper creations have turned mundane lectures into moments of joy.”

Rodger grinned sheepishly. “I’m glad I could bring a little laughter to the class, Professor.”

“You’ve reminded us all that even in the most mundane of situations, there’s room for creativity and imagination,” Professor Dullington replied.

And so, Rodger’s legacy as the class clown who turned ancient knitting lectures into a hilarious spectacle was sealed. The students of “Advanced Ancient Textile Arts” would forever remember the man who transformed boredom into laughter, one paper creation at a time. And as for Professor Dullington, he continued to incorporate unconventional teaching methods, proving that even the dullest subjects could be infused with a touch of humor and creativity.

Bonus things to do in class when you are bored

Low-key silliness:

• Play “Would you rather?” Whisper hypothetical questions to a friend and see their answers. (Would you rather have pockets on all your clothes or be able to fly?)
• Make funny faces at your notebook. Let your boredom manifest in hilarious cartoon expressions.
• Write a secret story. Start a story on a scrap of paper and pass it around the class for each person to add a sentence anonymously.
• Name the clouds. If you have a window view, get creative and give the clouds funny names or personalities.
• Desktop Doodles (if allowed): If your teacher allows it, doodle funny faces or accessories on a hidden corner of your computer screen.

Wordplay and communication challenges:

• Acronym Challenge: Whisper a random word to a friend and have them silently come up with the funniest acronym they can think of.
• Rhyme Time: Start a rhyming chain with a friend, whispering back and forth words that rhyme.
• Backwards Talk: For short bursts, try whispering funny things to a friend in reverse.
• Movie Mime: Silently act out a scene from a movie for your friend to guess. Bonus points for bad acting!