A Guide to Curing Your Winter Boredom

“MOM? MOM! WHAT ARE YOU WRITING? CAN’T YOU SEE I’M BOOOOORED?” my charming Shoyru yells from her room.

“Only the boring are bored,” I sigh, knowing that this is just the beginning. Tis the season, after all; all my pets’ newly unwrapped presents have lost their appeal and are put away and forgotten. The dreaded New Year boredom has finally set in. With this in mind, I’ve decided to share the top eight ways I try to keep my pets, and myself, from losing our sanity in these cold winter months. And a few helpful suggestions of what not to do...

For Your Pet:

1) Snowager

A nice trip up Terror Mountain is sure to give your pet a breath of fresh air and take in the season, and an encounter with the Snowager will most likely wake them up! As a bonus, next time they complain of boredom, you can tell them that the Snowager’s been looking for a new playmate! Just joking, of course!

2) Snow Faerie

While you’re up at Terror Mountain, you might as well give Taelia a visit. I personally enjoy seeing the odd things she requests, always wondering what she could possibly need Chocolate Chia Jam for in such a hurry. My pets always get a blast out of running around the far reaches of Neopia looking for that last item—it’s a sure-fire way to keep them entertained.

3) Training School

If your Neopet is getting particularly mouthy, or is a lover of all things Battledome related, you might consider sending them off to the Mystery Island Training School or Krawk Island’s Swashbuckling Academy to whip them into shape. It may not be as cheap as sitting around waiting for a nice Faerie to come along and tell you that she has, for the millionth time, lost a trading card or an odd book no one’s ever heard of. Just keep an eye out for codestones and dubloons on your travels and you’ll be ready to go!

4) Neolodge

If your Neopet has been working hard and needs a well-deserved break, or you have to go out of town for a few days, the Neolodge is the place to be! With a wide selection of different places for your Neopet to stay, as well as various things for you to sign your Neopets up for, like the Sauna and Tennis Courts, it’s guaranteed that your pet will be safe, well-fed, and most importantly, happy, during its stay.

5) Dice-A-Roo

This fun little game involves very little thought, yet is so much fun! I personally enjoy the seemingly endless clicking, as well as all the fun food prizes. The only problem with this game is that, at some point, my pets drag me kicking and screaming from King Roo and his pretty dice, telling me that I must be the most boring owner EVER. So while this may not help your pets’ boredom, I hope it cures yours.

6) Art Centre

This place is perhaps not as well known as it should be. Simply go to Neopia Central and on the right you’ll find the Art Centre. Stop by the Neopian Times and the Poetry Contest, but don’t forget to visit my favorite place: the Coffee Cave! Run by a delightfully cheerful Shoyru with a hat I envy more than I should say, there’s always something for everyone! The Banana Cream Coffee is something everyone should try; it’ll warm your heart and keep you happy.

7) The Weather Page

Though itself not inherently interesting, this page will save you a lot of grief when your little darling wants to go to Tyrannia but doesn’t realize that today it will in fact be a day full of heavy rain and wind. Such weather is not well-suited for finding Omelettes. I would know from experience...

8) Work on that Altador Plot!

If you haven’t already, get moving on that Altador Plot! It’s a lot of fun, and the clues will keep you puzzling for hours. The constellations were my favorite part, but any way you look at it, there are tons of fun parts to keep anyone amused. And you get a nice trophy to boot.

9) Neoboards

The Neoboards are a great way to meet people and make friends for both you and your Neopets! Pick out your favorite avatar and design a pretty font, and you’re ready to post. If your Neopets are feeling lonely and need a friend, just make a nice, friendly, spell-checked post and get ready to have some fun.

10) Battledome

Is your pet all trained and ready for a battle? Well, ask a friend for a friendly bout or try the 1 Player option—there’s plenty of opponents for Neopets of all levels and capabilities. There’s nothing quite like facing off with the Ghost Lupe, or if you plan on taking revenge on the Snowager, more power to you!

What Not to Do:

1) No Wheel of Monotony

This one should be fairly straightforward, but for those of you who constantly insist on spinning that ridiculous wheel for hours on end, I just have to tell you that while you “enjoy” the constant spinning, I will be off at the Bakery munching on some delightful cookies. And I’ll bet your pet would probably agree with me, too!

2) Wheel of Mediocrity

There sure are a lot of strange wheels in Neopia! This brings me to my second least-favorite, the Wheel of Mediocrity. Unless you want your pets telling you how they don’t really appreciate the rather cranky Flotsam in charge of the wheel, or that pesky Pterodactyl, I suggest avoiding this place when your pet is at their most bored.

3) Neopets Popularity Page

My pets happen to be fairly high up on the rankings, but I wouldn’t bring your pets here too often if they’re a Lenny or Moehog, because no matter how many times you tell them that they’re the best Neopet out there, there’s bound to be some snarky Shoyru there bragging. And remember, it’s always best to keep the fights to the Battledome!

4) Punchbag Bob

While I once succumbed to my overwhelming need for a Punchbag Bob trophy, I feel the need to warn you that if you do intend to spend hours of your life whittling down his HP, prepare for a lot of grief from your beloved pets. My own didn’t speak to me for a few days after she finally recovered from the boredom of what seemed like a million Fierce Attacks!

The next time your darling Neopet looks at you with those sad eyes and bemoans the lack of things to do in your Neohome, purposely ignoring the multitude of toys strewn around the house, don’t feel overwhelmed! Just remember these helpful tips and you’re sure to be out and about, having fun in no time!