Ideas to keep busy?

Hi everyone!

I just got to the UK 3 weeks ago on my 5th tourist visa! I am staying with my fiancé at his house, and obviously am not allowed to work, look for work, or volunteer while on this visa. I'll be here until the beginning of May, so does anyone have any ideas or anything they do to keep busy during the day that doesn't require driving anywhere? I've just graduated from University in the US, so not having anything to do is a nice change of pace, but it's only been 3 weeks and I might already be dying for some entertainment while he's at work!

Thanks! 

If you enjoy learning new things, check out coursera and edx!

https://www.coursera.org/
https://www.edx.org/

Beyond that, maybe check out meetup.com to see if there's anything that catches your interest? I crochet & also enjoy wandering to touristy places while my spouse doesn't really, so if I ever visit while he's working I know I'd be going on adventures of my own.

Learn a musical instrument!

I wouldn't do the courses, as that could be considered studying which would be against the terms of your visa.

Be a tourist.  Take a train or a bus to places you've not been before and explore.

Love PB's idea about learning an instrument, I've always wanted to learn to play the piano.  Anything else you've wanted to do?  When I moved to the UK and was bored, I took ice skating lessons.  I always wanted to learn to skate backwards and spin - and now I can!   

What are your interests?  Where do you live?  Do you have some money?

Learn a musical instrument!

I was going to also post this. We are somehow programmed as kids that you need "talent" for this. The only thing talent gives you is the ability to learn something quicker than others. As long as you have patience and determination anyone can learn to play an instrument (unless you are truly tone deaf, which is rare). It helps if you find the right type of instrument for you. One that interests you.

Once you get over the initial hump and frustrations it's like entering a separate world, where tunes become acquaintances, then friends, then turn into old friends.

I play old-time banjo (e.g. turn of the century Appalachian). I learnt entirely off YouTube, which I think is an amazing free educational resource for all kinds of things.

It can also be a cheap hobby. After purchase of my instrument and some accessories the only ongoing costs for me are new strings (£5) and tuner batteries (£3) once in a while.

Find a forum for the instrument you are interested in and read recommendations for starter instruments. The cheapest of the cheap can actually put you off, so it's worth researching this before making a purchase. A forum will steer you away from those.

The internet gives people a free, large support network, that simply didn't exist in the past. Take advantage of it!

When I got to the UK on a fiancé visa and couldn't yet work, I did a lot of crafts and baking. I revisited knitting and crocheting, took up paper craft and card making and taught myself how to bake bread. Between the knitting, crocheting and paper craft, Christmas cards and gifts that year were sorted.

It was get to have time to learn new things and you might not get this opportunity in the future.

If there's something you've always wanted to do, but never had time, you've got the time now!

I took a few coach trips to Winchester , princess Diana's family home , rye and marwell zoo amongst others while hubby was st work. It was cool to get out and about

  When I moved to the UK and was bored, I took ice skating lessons.  I always wanted to learn to skate backwards and spin - and now I can!   

I was a competitive adult ice skater for about 10 years. I wish I could afford to do it again!

I joined a women's barbershop chorus about a year ago, and that has helped my social life tremendously! Even though I consider myself an extrovert, it was hard to show up that first day, but they were so nice and friendly! See if you can find a group of people with similar interests and join...it helps to just have people to talk to sometimes!

I did a lot of sightseeing my first months here before I had a job, and I'm so glad I did because I don't have the time or flexibility now. Of of the nice things about being from the US is that taking a two-hour train trip each way to spend half a day in a place isn't nearly as big of a deal to us as it is to someone from here who thinks its "too far"!

Thanks for all of the great ideas!

I joined a gym, so that should help keep me active and busy. I would also love to learn to knit! I just need to get to the store and figure it all out!

We're just outside Cambridge, which I absolutely love! I could spend every day just walking around Cambridge, if only it were about 20 degrees (or much, much more) warmer!! I'm from south Texas so even making myself go outside is a pretty big battle right now!

If you want to be amazed (I am in Cambridge), I can magically tell you where you live by asking one simple question:

Do you shop at a.) Tesco or b.) Morrisions?

If you want to be amazed (I am in Cambridge), I can magically tell you where you live by asking one simple question:

Do you shop at a.) Tesco or b.) Morrisions?

Haha! We shop at Morrisons 
I'm excited for this!

Camborne....Or perhaps Comberton.

Be careful, don't tell Son of Sailor where you live!  He'll come around and cry about the patriarchy for hours and drink all your tea.

I picked up knitting too when I was here on a fiancee visa and couldn't work/volunteer. I found a knitting/crafting group and they were super helpful in telling me what I needed to get started. If you go to your local library they might have something there or at least a community board that might have one advertised or something else that interests you!