Virtual Activities and Engagement Opportunities
"Social distancing" means trying to keep others and ourselves safe and well, but it doesn't mean that there aren't things to do and opportunites for everyone to connect. You can continue to participate in or join clubs and other organizations through Engage. You can conduct meetings, or just hang out with friends, using free platforms like Zoom (with available free tutorials), Google Hangouts, and Google Meet (good for student organizations, too). From creating clips on TikTok to having cooking shows with friends on Instagram or YouTube, now is the time to be creative and to to show that Ragin' Cajun spirit and joie de vivre! Please use the hashtag #ulgetinvolved on your social media outlets!
As a reminder, many of the sites listed below are not maintained or specifically endorsed by the University. Please be careful and use your best judgement in what sites you access, as well as the personal information you choose to share.
List of live virtual concerts (updated daily by NPR; all types of music)
Entertainment and Creative Arts
- Step-by-step Lunch Doodle time
- Coloring books depicting over 100 museums art collections
- Online art classes (15-20 minute sessions) Gallery North, Long Island, NY
- Recipes to try out (classics and new!)
- Fun fashion and jewelry projects/ideas
- 15 Broadway plays and musicals you can watch from home
- Enjoy movies with friends/family anywhere with Netflix Party (Google Chrome net store)
- Google Maps and Google Earth; explore different cities, even your own, virtually! Use the 3-D option for even more interesting views (Pompeii is highly recommended)
Travel and Exploration
- Johnson Museum of Art Museum Club blog page (Cornell University)
- Virtual field trips to Mars, Yellowstone National Park, San Diego Zoo, and the Louvre (multiple options!)
- Explore 12 different famous museums like the Guggenheim, National Gallery Art, and more
- Interactive National Constitution Center
- Blarney Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Parks, and more
Virtual Tours and Museums
- UL Lafayette's Hilliard Art Museum Online Collections
- The Louvre
- National Gallery of Art
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- Van Gogh Museum
- National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
- British Museum
National Parks to National Landmarks
- Go on a virtual field trip to Ellis Island
- Take a look at Colonial Williamsburg
- Tour England through this 360 video
- Virtually discover Yellowstone National Park and 5 other National Parks thanks to virtual reality (and Google)!
- Take a walk on the Great Wall of China
- Check out the view of the Pompeii excavations (Pompei Scavi) through Google Maps
- Explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover
Education
- Create your own website at WordPress.com
- Free electives from Ivy League schools; 450 classes being offered online.
- Free courses from leading universities and organizations in Scotland, Wales, and England!
- Practice and learn a new language through Duolingo!
- Access to more than 12 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources (JSTOR; UL Lafayette students have access via UL Lafayette and Dupre Library).
Health and Fitness
- UL Lafayette Recreational Sports Online Resources
- Introduction to mindfulness meditation (UCLA Health, downloadable guided meditations in both English and Spanish).
- 4 Seasons Health Club: Daily Free Facebook Fitness Classes
- Planet Fitness “United We Move” Free Daily Streamed Class
- Life Fitness: Digital Coaching for Fitness
Animal Webcams
- San Diego Zoo
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute
- Atlanta Zoo's Panda Cam
- Georgia Aquarium
- Ouwehand Park Polar Bears
- Explore Live Cams
- Houston Zoo
Even More Options!
Digital ‘Harry Potter’ escape room lets you visit Hogwarts from your computer or mobile device!
A list of the 25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2018
Have a Netflix Party with friends while watching your favorite shows
A list of 11 Musical TV Shows to binge watch while you’re home
Watch an Opera for free with the Metropolitan Opera
Listen to a live recording from the Seattle Symphony
Social Media Engagement
Our list has only some of the options out there; we would love to hear more from you! Please e-mail us at getinvolved@louisiana.edu or upc@louisiana.edu and let us know what you've discovered or created on your own! Be sure to follow UL Lafayette's social media for the latest updates and announcements.
#ulgetinvolved