221 Things To Do In 2021

221 Things To Do in 2021: Resolutions, Things To Try, Create, Experience, & Learn in the New Year!

For six years now, I have been compiling a yearly list of "2__ Things To Do In 20__!" I look forward to making my list every winter. However, this year's list looks quite different from the previous. I pride myself on ensuring not a single item from an earlier year is repeated, minus a few things here and there, like creating an annual playlist. I have always wanted my list to be filled with activities anyone could more or less achieve regardless of age, location, or financial situation. I think it's essential to continuously learn, try, create, and experience new things to truly grow as a person and gain wisdom over the years. Never before has a list been filled with so many virtual and "at home" suggestions! 2020 was truly wild, y'all! I know that we have all made it through so much this year, but we still have a long way to go in this global pandemic. This year's list is filled with that in mind, allowing the opportunity to experience new ventures while inside the house and six feet apart.

2020 was simultaneously the best and most stressful year of my life! I started the year out super stressed with school & family issues, living in Chicago with my fiance, and no idea our wedding would be canceled due to a global pandemic. I ended the year in The Woodlands, Texas, with my husband, fixing to close on our first home, and only two semesters left of my undergrad! It's been a wild ride. However, I've been blessed beyond belief, even in the worst moments of this year. I'm sure everyone can agree that this year has low key been a colossal mess!  But each one of us has finally reached this finish line of this year of insanity! I know that in the future years we will be so much stronger! I don't know about you, but I have a great feeling about 2021! I hope this list can bring some joy to you and your family/friends as we all embark on yet another chapter. 

So, without further adieu.... here's my annual list of 221 Things To Do in 2021!

To Learn… 
1. That 2020 was absolute trash & it’s all going to be okay!
2. Pickling /Fermenting
3. To make your own homemade bitters
4. Hot cocoa bombs
5. Web development
6. Floor plan drawing
7. A viral TikTok dance
8. The harmonica
9. Chinese
​10. How to reference/cite (Even if you're out of school!)
11. A lot more about COVID-19 - from scholarly essays, articles, etc!
12. Podcasting
13. Zoom speaking - A skill much different than regular public speaking!
14. Woodworking
15. How to make your own hand sanitizer
16. Sudoku
17. Whittling
18. To refurbish tech products
19. The significance of diversity
20. Acrylic painting
21. Shibori textile dyeing 
22. Needlepoint
23. Diamond painting (Beading + painting method)
24. Jewelry repair
25. Tin-punching
26. All about rental property investing
27. Digital marketing
28. Computer programming basics using Scratch
29. All about cybersecurity 
30. Wreath making
31. The art of Friluftsliv
32. The basics of UX design
33. Affiliate marketing 101
34. How to persuade 
35. Lomography
36. Trend forecasting
37. Pen twirling
38. Grammar essentials you've definitely forgotten
39. How to fix a candle
40. The proper way to clean a cast-iron pan
41. Bouquet making
42. Juggling
43. All about a culture you are completely unfamiliar with
44. Multiple magic tricks
45. Diving (& to be good at!)
46. How to use an AED (automatic external defibrillator) 
47. Cake frosting
48. To quarter a chicken
49. Food pairing with cocktails
50. To spin a basketball on your finger
51. How to be an excellent proofreader 

To Try… 
52. Choosing a word for the year and living by it (For example: gratitude, simplicity, etc.)
53. Going plant-based for a week - or longer!
54. Not getting your political facts from social media
55. Submitting your writing or art pieces to more outlets
56. Caring for a Bonsai tree
57. Making your home more solar-powered
​58. Upcycling old items around your home
​59. Mushroom coffee
60. Air Frying
61. Joining Shaker & Spoon's subscription box service
62. Weather-proofing your home or apartment 
63. Replacing all of your old cleaning supplies with new ones
​64. Braintraining
​65. Improving your handwriting
​66. New trending gadgets that will make life easier or more fun!
​67. Taking more self-portraits
68. Being involved in your local/community government
69. Reading books on topics that make you uncomfortable - so you can learn/grow!
70. Creating an online shop selling what you make/love using Big Cartel
71. Oyster shucking
72. Memorizing the first 30 numbers of PI
73. French braiding
74. Cooking a risotto
75. Beading
76. Spotting every Alfred Hitchcock cameo
77. Setting up a home network
78. A race car driving class
79. Henna body art
80. Opening a beer bottle with a lighter
81. Remembering names (& faces!)
​82. Making the first move (Romantically, platonically, whatever!)
83. CBD products
84. Voice lessons
85. Sailing
86. Bull riding
87. Ordering a mystery box on eBay or ETSY
88. Organizing your pantry, closet, etc with bins from Dollar Tree
89. An Airbnb experience
90. Vinebox
91. A vinyl subscription with Crate Joy
92. A Masterclass course
93. Tequila making
94. Virtual escape rooms with friends
95. Bite Toothpaste (Zero waste toothpaste!)
96. Oil portrait painting
97. Engraving 
98. Crewel embroidery
99. Making silhouette art
100. New recipes & ensuring you use everything in your fridge with MyFridgeFood
101. Becoming a Smithsonian Digital Volunteer 
102. Growing your writing skills with Write.as
103. Starting a group with Hyvor
104. Getting involved with a community project on ioby
105. A science experiment that intrigues you
106. Wearing "nice" clothes instead of comfy clothes when you spend multiple days in a row at home

To Create… 
107. The perfect charcuterie board
108.  Your own custom face mask!
109. Cocktail kits - & gifting them to friends/family!
110. A Clubhouse profile
111. A super fun island on Animal Crossing
​112. A photo album of 2020
113. A "Clofice" (Office in a closet!) for a better Zoom work life!
114. Digital decor for your phone/laptop
115. An at-home gym space
116. A stamp collection
​117. Fun Zoom backgrounds!
​118. A tour of your hometown & submitting it to CLIO
119. An album/folder/etc of your favorite memes
120. A kite to fly on a nice day
121. Your own coloring pages
122. An amazing + fun outdoor space at your apartment/home
123. Furniture or art with reclaimed wood
124. A pitcher of Moon Milk
​125. An at-home bar!
126. A playlist of your favorite 2020 songs
127. An in-depth list of all the events/activities you want to experience post-COVID
128. A vision board for 2021
129. A video diary
130. The #SelfCare app
​131. A newspaper collection
​132. A new routine that makes life at home easier & healthier
133. A bored jar 
134. Profile with Flipboard
135. A signature scent for your home (or each room!)
136. Kombucha
137. Bleach t-shirts (All the rave currently!)
138. A Villanelle poem
139. Time slots for work/school Zooms & personal Zooms (to enjoy a better work from home life balance!)
140. A closet for those in need at a public space that is always filled with water, snacks, and hygiene products
141. Care bags for teachers, medical staff, & students during the pandemic 
142. A pandemic emergency kit (Hopefully, you already have one!)
143. Your own jerky
144. An oddities/curiosities collection
145. A cutting board collection
146. Depression glasses collection
147. A dollhouse from scratch that reflects your home or a favorite place
148. An account with Quora
149. Your own memes
150. Aprons to wear while cooking
151. A Pinhole camera
152. An aquarium
153. Wine cork art/furniture
154. Beautiful nails with nail dip powder
155. A detailed skincare + beauty routine with a tech mirror by HiMirror
156. Organized notes, sketches, etc with Rocketbook 
157. A codeword to share with friends + family in the event of an emergency 
158. Happier thoughts by starting the day listening to upbeat music
159. 3D art with Blender
160. Beautiful envelopes with an address embosser
​161. Greeting cards to mail out for every holiday/birthday this year

To Experience… 
162. Leaving a larger tip for rideshare & delivery drivers
163. Saving up a bit more money than planned for the year
164. Sending virtual ecards to make someone's day
165. Joining a Skee Ball league 
​166. Buying more products from local shops instead of major retailers
167. Making a wildlife charcuterie board filled with bread, seeds, etc. & leaving it outside somewhere for furry friends 
168. Cleaning all of your makeup/beauty product brushes & supplies (No judgment!)
169. Making new friends virtually 
170. Developing more emotional intelligence
171. Finding ways to take advantage of being home more now that we can!
172. A new virtual cocktail making class
173. Making each room in your home multifunctional
174. Giving your mail carrier a gift each holiday to thank them for their service
175. Building your skillsets
176. Connecting with your neighbors more with the Nextdoor app
177. Getting a Flu shot (& ensuring all of your shots are up-to-date to stay as healthy as possible this year!)
​178. Becoming more socially conscious 
179. A weekend road trip
180. Scoring a super great vacation/airfare deal for late 2021-2022 by booking early
181. Enrolling in a course or degree program that has always sparked your interest
182. A year of taking amazing care of multiple house plants (the real ones, not the fake ones!)
183. Learning how everything you use on a daily basis works
184. Reading daily news reports posted in countries other than your own
185. Putting on a show for your family/friends (or children in your family!)
186. A meteor shower
187. Becoming a Lord or Lady with Celtic Titles
​188. A black-tie event once COVID is over
189. A night of luxury by escaping your home & staying in a fancy hotel post-COVID
190. Visiting a new suburb
191. Re-reading a book you adore
192. Being more well-rounded
193. Culture shock (Because it means you got out of your comfort zone!)
194. Talking with someone you admire (or fangirl over, let's be honest!) on Cameo
195. Documenting murals & street art around your city
196. Having a personal stylist with Trunk Club
​197. An at-home allergy test
198. Planning an AMAZING birthday party for yourself this year (even if it's virtual!)
199. The Adventure Challenge
200. Joining a food club
201. Virtual tours of places/spaces you have yet to visit
202. Looking up your ancestors homes with Google maps (& archiving them for future generations!)
203. A murder mystery box
204. Shopping at & supporting local black-owned + minority businesses 
205. Discovering music that you love & wouldn't normally listen to 
206. Volunteering from your phone with MapSwipe
207. Interactive art online with Silk
208. Listening to radio stations worldwide with Radio Garden
209. A virtual class with Amava
210. Finding a Penpal to get to know
211. Gifting to those in your family, network, etc that you rarely gift to
212. Losing track of time on a day off
213. Maintaining "normalcy" as best as possible during a worldwide pandemic 
214. Making time for your "real" life in a world that has gone virtual
215. Supporting a musician/band that you love 
216. Finding local art to display in your home
217. Ordering take out from a local restaurant you have never been to at least once a month
218. An opportunity to grow during a time period when many will stay stagnant
219. Giving a helping hand to someone who needs it 
220. Leaving the business cards of friends/family/people you care about on community boards
221. The peace with knowing 2021 is only one year & you have many years to come- this is just one chapter in your book, and if you haven't done something yet, it doesn't mean you won't!

Read Lists From Previous Years:
220 Things To Do in 2020
219 Things To Do in 2019
218 Things To Do in 2018
217 Things To Do in 2017
216 Things To Do in 2016