Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for—school is out and summer is here! With summer comes the freedom to do whatever you want and the possibilities are endless. Even though there are so many fun things to do during the summer, I find myself becoming extremely bored and falling into a rut. So, instead of lounging around on the couch all day (which I find myself doing way too often), I’ve come up with some beneficial summer activities to help you get ahead during your vacation!
Stay Healthy and Sharp!
It's hard to stay healthy during the summer, and I’m not just talking about eating healthy and exercising. Although both of those things are important, I want to talk more about keeping your mind healthy. I know you probably don’t want to hear about this after stressing over tests and assignments for the last eight months, but there are some fun things you can do to keep your mind sharp!
- Find a good book to read. I’ve been an avid reader for most of my life so this has never been hard for me, but I know a lot of people associate reading with rigorous school work and that is why they hate doing it. Go to your nearest bookstore and browse the aisles for a book that looks good to you and pick it up. Who knows? maybe you will have found yourself a new favorite!
- Get creative. Do some painting, or writing, or knitting, or something along those lines. Doing something like this is a good way to keep yourself occupied while not requiring that much brain work. I personally enjoy painting while listening to music or writing while sitting outside.
I don’t know about you, but I’m the type of person that hates wasting time, and these things make me feel like I’m doing something productive with my summer. Staying away from my phone and computer screen is my main goal and these things help with that.
Get Ahead!
If you are going to college in the fall, or you are applying to colleges, maybe you should start thinking about what is going to look good on that application or resume. If you already have a bunch of time on your hands, why not spend it getting ahead?
- Take a college class. Taking college classes over the summer is a good way to get ahead in your degree and it will also give you a taste of what college classes are actually like. If you’re worried about getting all of your classes for your major completed on time, this might be an easy way for you to ease your mind about it. Taking a class in the summer is really not as bad as you may think—they are usually a little bit easier.
- Get a job or an internship. Both of these will look good on your resume, and they will also help you get out of the house. If you get restless from being stuck in the house all day, finding a job might be helpful with that. Also, earning money over the summer is a good way to save up for spending money to use during the school year.
- Find some volunteer work to do. Volunteering will always look good on a resume or an application. Find something that you are interested in and get involved. You can never do too much volunteering!
Hang Out With Your Friends and Family!
Now obviously I want you to have fun this summer, so go hang out with your friends and family! The things I love to do most with my friends during the summer are driving around listening to music, going to get ice cream, or going to the lake or pool.
Here are some other fun ideas:
- Go on a road trip. If you find the right group of people, a road trip could be a great opportunity to see more of the country on a lower budget. Traveling is always a great summer activity!
- Start a bucket list. Maybe a summer bucket list is cliche but wouldn’t it motivate you to make the most of your summer?? Get a group of friends together and write out a list of reasonable, fun things you all want to accomplish before summer is over, and try to cross off the whole list!
But it’s also important to spend time with your family, so maybe try out a family game night or movie night. During the school year, I never have as much time as I would like to spend time with my family, so I make that a priority when I’m on my summer vacation. Spending time with your family might not seem like a fun activity, but if you take the time to do it, it might surprise you how much fun it can be!
Summertime is for relaxing and doing the things that you love the most, but don’t let yourself sit around the house all day doing nothing. That is not beneficial to anybody. Find some new hobbies, work a little, and spend time with the most important people in your life. Make this summer your best one yet!
