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Passing Time While Doing Time
Ask anyone who's ever served time ...
... and they'll tell you the same thing: jail is boring. That's the point of it! Inmates are denied their freedom and left alone with their thoughts (in a noisy, overcrowded jail, that is). But alone time doesn't nave to be wasted time, Paris! Click EasyEdit to share more constructive ideas for how to while away the day in the slammer. (Don't see an EasyEdit button at the top of this page? You need to sign up or sign in to edit pages on this site.)
| Write a diary. Corrections officers will provide pencil and paper. So start writing down everything that happens to you and your thoughts, and tell your outside reps to finalize that book deal! |
| Write other stuff: letters, poetry, screenplay, short stories, etc. |
| Make a spitball calendar. The two ingredients are readily available in most cells: toilet paper and water (or actual spit, for purists). The instructions are easy: Every day, make a spit ball and stick it on the wall. A countdown is another option: On your first day, make and stick 23 spitballs, one for each day of incarceration. Then, pick one off each morning. This wadded wet-paper technique works for a variety of craft projects. Perhaps a Lindsay Lohan voodoo doll? |
| Watch television. Actually, this is a controversial activity. As in the outside world, some inmates and inmate-rights advocates consider TV an evil opiate of the masses. "The most senseless use of time in prison has to be constant television watching," writes Abdullah Ibraheem on his website, The Black People's Prison Survival Guide. "Constant television watching develops the dangerous habit of always wanting to be entertained, which causes laziness." L.A. County does not let inmates have television sets in their cells, so Paris probably won't be able to channel-surf except during free time. |
| Get up early. More sage advice from The Black People's Prison Survival Guide. (Yes, Paris is white but a good prison tip is colorblind, folks.) Any inmate will tell you that the joint is one noisy place. Early risers enjoy the morning quietude. |
| Structure, structure, structure. Time management is crucial for the sake of sanity. Spend a few minutes in the morning to map out the day's plans. Bonus: At night, when writing your diary entry, this schedule will provide a reminder of your activities. |
Read. Inmates are allowed three books or magazines per week, so use up your quota and then trade with others. (How about starting a book club?) See suggested reading list. |
| Gamble, with caution. No stranger to Las Vegas, Paris might want to partake in the frequent games of chance played in prison: cards, craps, etc. But keep the betting under control--like bricks of ramen or sugar packs--not "spousal activities" with a fellow inmate. |
 Sing and dance. C'mon, ladies, let's put on a show! Actually, beauty pageants are popular pastimes in some prisons abroad, like this one in Lithuania. |
Spend quality time with interesting inmates. As former prisoners Martha Stewart to Susan McDougal (incarcerated for her role in the Whitewater controversy) have said, one of the most eye-opening aspects of prison is getting to know people with whom they would never otherwise come into contact. Which is not to say that Paris should plop down next to a Crip and say, "Girlfriend, tell me about your life." But she should be open to sharing stories. |
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Latest page update: made by Patty
, Jun 11 2007, 12:49 PM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by Patty
48 words deleted
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Edited by Patty
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- complete history)
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