Things you can accomplish this Eid

There's very little to be excited over during Eid-ul-Adha in the city except for the empty roads and not having to get up early. Despite this, the boredom is inevitable; there's too much blood and too little to do. Can you get past the overpowering smell of dung and bleach and actually do something productive?

Learn Your Cuts
Even though we can't contain our love for meat, we rarely learn the cuts. Cuts determine a lot of thing - the purpose, the cooking style and even the cooking time. This Eid presents to you the best time to master this because you've the whole animal to choose from and you have experts right within your reach. If the butcher isn't complying, consult that relative we all have who knows everything about meat. The perks? You can finally learn which chunk to steal so you can make that steak you've been craving.

Learn How to Cook
If you've learnt the cuts, you might as well level up and learn what to do with them. Do a little Google search, or if you're lazy, hit up Tasty's YouTube channel to find something that you'd like to make. (Pro tip: read reviews before you decide on a recipe, and if you're new to cooking, videos will aid you in visualizing how to go about the process). If you're looking forward to making something elaborate, you might have to go shopping beforehand. 

Not in the mood to cook by yourself? You can always hound whoever is cooking and learn for yourself how "Ammu'r haater gorur mangsho" is made. 

Do Some Gardening
Can't deal with the dung situation? Use it as fertilizer. It'll be out of your sight and you'll be thanking yourself in Spring when all your plants look big and healthy. Grab some gloves and gardening tools, lift out a bit of the soil and place the fertilizer in the soil around the roots. Make sure to neatly cover up on the surface so that your efforts don't go in vain.

Lastly, if you're doing absolutely nothing, lend a hand around the house. While this Eid might be dull, it's still really hectic and there's always a lot of work. Share the spirit of sacrifice and give up some of your relaxation time so your loved ones have it a bit easier.  

Nooha Sabanta Maula is an Anthropology major whose anthropologising has made her confused about life. Send her your thoughts to noohamaula@gmail.com