how to Stay Busy During the Hockey Season
Staying busy during the hockey season can be long, hard and lonely, especially if you’re in a new country or doing long distance, such as I did. It took me a while to find a new routine when the season started, and I had to become creative to stay busy when I went for longer stints to visit my boyfriend in Europe. However, after 5 seasons I came up with some simple tips and tricks to keep busy and help the time go by, so let’s jump in.
I’m known as a bit of a gym junkie. Working out is my therapy and nothing feels better to me than getting a good sweat on. During the summers when my boyfriend would be home, my gym routine would suffer because I would be out enjoying the warm weather and time with him. However, once he flew back to Europe for the season my main focus was getting back into my typical gym routine. Whether you enjoy going to the gym or perhaps a group fitness class, being active will not only help keep you busy but will also help you keep feeling like your best self all season long. When I would go visit my boyfriend in Europe it was really important to me to find a gym so that I would have something to do during practices or road games. It can be intimidating going to a gym where no one speaks English, however once you get over that awkward first time or two, you’ll forget that you’re in a different country.
I love discovering new places. When you’re living abroad there are endless opportunities to find new and exciting spots to discover. Whenever my boyfriend would have a day off, we’d drive or jump on a train to a nearby town to discover all their hidden gems. A castle, shopping mall and café were usually the top three priorities on our list. If we had a break at Christmas or a week off during the season, we’d usually try and find a place we had never been before to fly to and explore. One of my most favorite memories was exploring Berlin the week before Christmas and taking a mini day trip to Dresden on Christmas Day. Your partner also doesn’t need to be available for these trips. You can always go with some girlfriends or even just yourself depending on how comfortable you are on your own. I loved going to an away game and having a couple hours before puck drop to do a quick tour of wherever I was. This also goes for when you’re home doing long distance. I have amazing girlfriends who are always down to a trip to the mountains, new restaurant or a night out to a new exhibit. It can be just as fun playing tourist in your own city!
Speaking of exploring, one of my most favorite things to do while in Europe was to go to the grocery store and finding new cafes and/or restaurants to kill time and enjoy some European treats. I don’t know if it’s only me but there is something so fun about a foreign grocery store. I would literally ask to be dropped off at the grocery store during a practice so I could go up and down every isle to see what they had. I love trying new foods so all my hard earned “spending money” would typically go to fun new grocery items. It was really important to me to learn a couple words wherever I went to get by, but the most important ones were: “large coffee with cream.” My boyfriends second season in Sweden, I found a coffee shop that was walking distance from our place. I went there so often that within a couple of days they just new my order by heart. It felt homey having a safe go-to place to unwind and clear my head. Whether I am in Europe or back home, I have an obsession with trying new restaurants. It was especially fun being in a foreign country and not really knowing what you were getting into. I spend a lot of time stalking food places on Instagram and searching for fun new places to try.
“It can be hard to remember yourself during the season because it is so centered around your partner. However, it is important to take time to focus on you and discover what makes you happy.”
That can be very intimidating in a foreign country and especially when you’re on our own while your partner is away. But stepping out of your comfort zone and trying a new hobby, taking interest in your health or just stepping out and discovering what’s around you can be so much fun AND help pass the time during the season. However, if you’re stuck inside due to COVID there are so many great resources online to help you stay busy. Whether it’s a virtual book club, online courses or fitness apps there are many great opportunities to stay busy. Currently, I love the Downdog app, checking out what’s new in Clubhouse (you can learn so much) or picking up a good book, getting nice and cozy and diving headfirst into another world. There will still be days, weeks, months that feel as though they’re passing by at a glacier place, especially in these current circumstances, that is completely normal. If you’re feeling stuck, you’re always welcome to reach out to me and we can find something fun and exciting to get the time moving. You’ve got this!
