Raise and care for a mouse just like Charlie does in "Flowers for Algernon" to gain a better understanding of going through a journey with your pet. You can find everything you need to care for a pet mouse at your local pet store or from a breeder, including an aquarium, food pellets, exercise wheels and other toys to keep your mouse fit, healthy and happy. Since pet mice are considered social animals, it is typical to raise these small, furry friends in pairs or larger groups.
Because "Flowers for Algernon" is an epistolary story (one that is told through the inclusion of diary entries, letters or media), keeping a journal of a specific task or daily affairs would be an appropriate activity to better understand the novel. You could start it anytime and focus on any subject. And while many people write at least one entry every day, its completely up to you how much you write. Keeping a journal can help focus your thoughts and ideas, set goals, relax and understand yourself better, as Charlie did in "Flowers for Algernon."
In "Flowers for Algernon," Charlie has to take a Rorschach Test. Commonly known as an "inkblot test," the Rorschach Test was designed by the Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach to determine a subject's personality traits based on their responses to a series of inkblot images. To better understand how Charlie felt being subjected to so many mental examinations, take a Rorschach Test from an online source or visit your local psychologist, and see if your responses accurately describe some of your personality traits.
Volunteering at a home or event for mentally disabled individuals would be a great activity to better understand what Charlie was going through when he was approached to partake in the study to make him smarter. By interacting with patients, doctors and family members as a volunteer, you'll see firsthand the effects of having to live with a mental disability or low IQ, including the extra care and attention required, the limitations one experiences and the stigmas still held by many to this day. Organizations like Network for Good can pair you with volunteer opportunities with mentally disabled individuals in your area.