Watching a documentary or going on a digital tour of a mountain can never match the exhilaration of topping the summit for the first time after an arduous climb where you know you’ve earned that view with your own sweat and hard work. A digital hug also never quite matches the comforting power of a real one.
For many of the activities in our daily lives, however, the digital alternative is actually better than the real-life version. This may be because it offers more options, is more convenient, more accessible, more social or less stressful. For people who really care about the environment, some digital alternatives are preferable because they have a smaller impact on the planet.
Below are some of our top picks for activities that are better online.
Online Casinos
Playing at online casinos is one of the biggest trends in gambling and the audience for it is growing all the time. Online casinos are better than traditional land-based casinos because for most people, getting to one of the top casinos is an expensive and time-consuming process. We don’t all live in Las Vegas, and many local casinos don’t have much to offer.
For people who don’t live in states with legal online gambling, sweepstakes casinos provide a great alternative. Sweepstakes casinos like Funzpoints give players a place to enjoy all their favorite slots and table games without the pressure to win anything. Players can still use real money to buy extra “chips” to play longer but the games don’t pay out real money. This keeps the focus on the social aspect of casinos, which can be a lot more fun.
Vacation Planning
The older generations might mourn the death of travel agencies and the process of going to an agency, being upsold vacations and tour packages to various destinations and having everything done for them. For the rest of us, the freedom and excitement of planning your own vacation is a huge improvement.
The internet has made travel so much easier. You can book airfare, hotel rooms and purchase tickets for museums or events easily and quickly online. Before you make those purchases, you can also see all the options available, read reviews and perform research to make informed decisions.
You can even use Google Streetview to navigate your way around your vacation destination so that when you do arrive, you don’t have the added stress of finding your way for the first time.
Shopping
Online shopping has had a massive impact on our habits and will likely contribute to future infrastructure developments in our cities and suburbs. While we should all limit the amount of shopping we do on Amazon to prevent it from taking over and destroying our society, there are plenty of other options.
Shopping online makes it easier to compare products as well. Whether its clothing, gadgets, garden lights or anything else in between, we now have a huge variety of options to choose from. Buying online lets you compare specs, prices and the appearance of products before you make your decision, all with reviews alongside to help.
For those people who prefer to actually see a product in person and feel the quality before they buy, online shopping is still a useful tool. Without actually making a purchase, you can still thoroughly research products, prices and what stores carry them. Even if you still make the purchase at a shop, the research you do beforehand can save time and money.
Learning a new Skill
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in shopping, social media, playing video games and streaming entertainment that we forget that the internet is essentially a repository for all the world’s knowledge. It is the perfect option for learning a new skill at your own pace.
Apps such as Duolingo and Babbel can help you learn a new language. YouTube is full of tutorials for DIY projects, home repair, arts and crafts and playing musical instruments. Food blogs bring you recipes from around the world with step-by-step photos and personalized tips.
Of course, you can learn all these skills from other sources, but the online options are more convenient and generally free. Anyone who loves to cook knows that as wonderful as cookbooks are, they are expensive and take up a lot of space. The same is true for home repair how-to guides. Public libraries are also a fantastic option, unfortunately they’re being defunded in some parts of the country and harder for people living in rural areas to access.
Learning online provides amazing opportunities for us all.
