Interesting: so Xmas looms and I have been simultaneously anticipating some hectic socialising and a healthy dose of boredom.

In Praise of Boredom, Again - Quillette

And if I could, would gift a little down time to these students.

If the direction of travel is indeed set on expanding the bounds of the hyper-monitored life from not only the typical US style work-place to the Universities and Schools, then we must acknowledge that being an apologist for that process implies a number of disturbing trends:

• this is robbing people of a little more of dignity (we don’t trust you with your own time)
• this is robbing people of their agency (we don’t want you with be alone with your thoughts)

I’m coming to believe that dealing with boredom is a skill that needs growth like a muscle. Without regular practice, we don’t let our daydreaming drift into uncharted territory, where real change might await us.