On Friday, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States. The event will bring wall-to-wall coverage across television and the internet, meaning even those who are bummed out about the whole thing will come face-to-face with their new reality.
SEE ALSO:Here's what we imagine the schedule for Donald Trump's inauguration will look likeIt'll be hard to avoid, of course, because, the inauguration of a new president is a big deal -- the peaceful transition of power and all that -- and every news station in the country will be covering the hours of swearing in, parades and ballroom dancing.
If Friday is not your best day, here's how to avoid the whole brouhaha without dealing with the emotional impact of Trump on repeat.
1. Just do work
Via GiphyThe one advantage of Inauguration Day this year is that it's on a Friday, which means all you really need to do is keep your head down at work, crank up some music on the earphones, and plow through that backlog of tasks you've been meaning to do for a while.
Then, by the time you're done, all the Inauguration shenanigans will be done so you can hit up Happy Hour, drink 'til you forget who's the president, and spend the weekend in hungover, ignorant bliss before the pain of Monday.
2. Keep writing or calling your elected leaders
Okay, so maybe you want to be more effective in how you use your time. Well, then keep taking your argument to Capitol Hill!
Don't want the Affordable Care Act repealed? Want to make sure congressman or senator knows you'll hold them accountable for how they'll vote on Trump's cabinet nominations? Keep calling, emailing and writing letters.
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You can find contact information for the House here and for the U.S. Senate here.
And if you're represented by an elected official who already aligns with your thinking, then reach out to friends who live in different districts or states. Crank up the stereo and get to writing.
3. Volunteer
Want to be a bit more productive with your Inauguration Day? Then give back a little. Call your local animal shelter and see if they could use some help on Friday. Maybe giving stray dogs baths isn't the most enticing way to spend a day but once you're done, the dogs are clean and fluffy and oh my goodness who's a good boy YOU'RE A GOOD BOY.
Not into animals (what is wrong with you?) but still want to help? There are plenty more where that came from. See if your local homeless shelter needs a hand for the day. If you live in a warmer part of the U.S., see if you can go help collect litter at a local park.
And if you want to keep a theme going, prepare for Saturday's Women's March by contacting your local women's shelter and seeing what help they need, like buying and donating supplies.
4. Work on your sign for the Women's March
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It doesn't matter if you're not going to D.C. for the big Women's March on Saturday; there are plenty of local "sister marches" happening, too, and you can participate in one of those. (Or any of the countless other protests happening this weekend.)
But you'll need signs so use your Friday to turn off the TV and unplug your wifi router and focus your energy to some markers and cardboard.
5. Read!
Via GiphyThere's a lot you can read in 10 hours. You could read some biographies about past presidents. Or get a start on the original Federalist Papers. There's even a Mashablepodcast you can listen to on reading for hours if you need a good book recommendation.
Or you could go down a rabbit hole with some Orwell and Fahrenheit 451and scare yourself silly.
Though I hear reading Harry Potteras an adult has its upsides.
6. Watch a 10-hour YouTube video
Need some time to yourself? Draw the curtains and put on some earphones. Prepare for a new stage in Russian-U.S. relations with the 10-hour loop of the "Trololo" song.
Maybe, instead, you can prepare for the Trump presidency with a 10-hour loop of Darth Vader breathing.
Or maybe you just need to bliss out for a bit before the Trump Administration gets underway and you aren't into Phish. In that case, try out this 10-hour loop of Nyan Cat.
7. Two words: Royal. Rumble.
We all know the inauguration is just a prelude to the upcoming WWE Royal Rumble: a 30-man, free-for-all wrestling match where the last man left standing in the ring wins a spot in the main event at WrestleMania. It's the 30th Rumble in the promotion's history and Friday is a greatday to catch up on past Rumbles, either to familiarize yourself with the event (if you're new to it) or to remind yourself how great the event is.
First, sign up for the WWE Network. It's free for the first month so you can watch these Rumbles and then ditch your subscription. (If you did that, you'd also be pulling a fast one on incoming Trump cabinet member Linda McMahon, getting the entertainment but not paying a dime!)
Then, watch the following three Royal Rumbles: 1992, 2001, and 2007.
That'll take up right around 10 hours, more or less, if you watch each entire event. If you skip just to the actual Rumble match, each around an hour, you can squeeze in even more. It'll set you up for thisyear's incarnation (my money's on The Undertaker with a long-shot Finn Balor possible, if he's healthy).
And, no, there are no Trump appearances in any of those events. You're good.
8. Go to an outdoor supplies store and prepare to flee to nature
One really good way to avoid anything about the upcoming Trump administration is to just spend as much of it as possible in the wilderness (while his climate policy allows there to actually bea wilderness, anyway). Hike the Appalachian Trail. Then hike the Pacific Coast Trail. Then, I don't know, walk to Russia. Whatever you want.
But you'll need to be well-stocked and the season to hike is coming soon (most hikers who do the entire AT start in March). So pull out all of your money and head to your nearest outdoor store to get outfitted for your hikes.
Then, take any leftover cash, put it in an empty coffee can, and then go bury it in the yard of your childhood home in the dead of night. You may need it later.
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