This is how to spend your extra hour this weekend at the end of Daylight Saving Time

The end of Daylight Saving Time is upon us, which means that we’re falling backwards and gaining an extra hour on Nov. 1. Yes, this also means it’s going to start getting dark at an ungodly hour, which is depressing. But instead of focusing on that aspect, let’s do as the great philosopher Kanye West says and turn tragedy to triumph and spit our souls through the wire as we think about the many ways to spend the extra hour we’ll soon receive.

A few suggestions:

• Try a hobby you used to love when you were a kid: If you were a basketball fiend, go shoot some hoops. If you loved ballet, find an adult class nearby.

• Deep clean your apartment: If the inside of your shower looks like a science experiment, stop letting weird mold grow and take care of it. Seriously. You probably shouldn’t be breathing that stuff in.
• Binge watch something on Netflix: Don’t even feel bad when that passive aggressive “are you still watching?” message pops up. This is YOUR time and you shall spend it as you please.

• Stay out later: A bunch of bars are staying open an extra hour due to the time change, including Brazwells, Prohibition, Suite, and BlackFinn. Take advantage of it and find someone to buy you a drink. Or be that generous person and get a round for everyone you’re with.
• Clean out the junk drawer in your house or apartment: Everyone has one. For me it’s my desk drawer and it got to the point where it wasn’t shutting anymore. After filling an entire trash bag with useless papers and receipts, I feel like a new person.
• Try a new recipe: Do a little Pinterest research and give a new recipe a shot. Bonus points if it’s a style of food you’ve never cooked before. If it goes well you can bring it to Thanksgiving dinner and show your family that you’re successfully adulting.

• Start that project you keep dreaming about: Writing a book. Putting together a scrapbook from your trip. Learning a new language. Take one step and you may be surprised about the kind of momentum you feel.
• Get your car washed: So fresh and so clean clean.
• Call a relative or friend you haven’t talked to in a while: You know Aunt Ginny would flip if you just called her out of the blue.

• Destroy your comfort zone: If you normally move in a little bubble, this extra time provides the perfect opportunity to break free from your norm. Have lunch in Ballantyne. Get a coffee in NoDa. Drive to Rock Hill and see what’s up.

Lastly, there’s always the default option of sleeping in. If you’re dragging lately, use that sweet, sweet extra hour to catch some zzz’s. Sure it’s not the most awe-inspiring way to spend extra time, but sometimes it’s seriously necessary.

Images: Giphy.com

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "This is how to spend your extra hour this weekend at the end of Daylight Saving Time."