This school year has undoubtedly been flying by, and summer is right around the corner! As much as we collegiates wish it weren’t true, our summer vacations are limited. If you plan on having a full-time job after college, having that much time off is sadly not likely to happen again. You don’t want to look back on your summer and regret watching all six seasons of Gossip Girl in two weeks for the third time. Therefore, vow now to not veg out and binge watch Netflix like a couch potato, because you know that deep down that just makes you antisocial. Live up those summer days and fill them with memories you’ll be happy you experienced!
1. Go travel the world
At the beginning of the summer, go look at flights and plan a vacation with your family or friends. The sky is the limit. Traveling is so easy nowadays, so take advantage of it. Get outside of the bubble of a home you may live in and test your comfort zone. You will gain a new perspective while learning about another culture, trying new foods, and becoming a more independent, cultured person. Each day will be like a new adventure because there are so many unknown surroundings waiting to be explored.
2. Get an internship or job
It can definitely be stressful trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, so take steps in finding out what you think that dream job will be. Try to find an internship, even if it’s not paid. Gaining this experience will help you to be able to see what you will like or dislike in the future. Go put yourself out there, talk to older friends, and see where they spent their summers working. They could even offer you advice at how to land a job. Ask your parents for advice because they were once in your shoes and have great advice. If finding an internship doesn’t work out, apply to for a fun job that seems like you get paid to tan, or be a camp counselor and play games like a kid all day.
3. Attend concerts and music festivals
Open up your planner and search for the concerts that will be near your hometown this summer. Find an artist that sounds fun to see live or see if the dates of the music festival you’ve been dreaming about attending would work with schedule. Take initiative and get some friends to go! Count down until you get to see it, and jam out to that artist until the show date to build suspense.
4. Go camping with friends
This trip could totally be spontaneous because all you really need is a tent, a lantern, and some bug spray and you’re ready to go. Shut off your phone and go get lost in the woods and let all your worries disappear as you embrace Mother Nature with some friends. It might be short-lived and you’ll probably only camp a night or two, but it will be sure to make you appreciate your bed that much more.
5. Go visit your friends’ hometowns
At college, we make so many friends that are from all over. Go on a road trip to visit and meet their favorite restaurant, cute dog, or other family members they’ve talked so much about. As great as FaceTime can be, it’d be a great way to catch up since summer can sometimes seem like a long time to be away from your second home at school.
6. Take some summer classes
Get ahead in school or just take a class you know you might struggle with and need to devote more time to focus on rather than take it along side with all of your other classes. There are probably online courses or a community college near you where credits could transfer. This might not seem like the most appealing option, but it could pay off later when you’re glad that requirement is filled.
7. Train for a marathon
It might be too unrealistic to sign up for a marathon, but it’s not unrealistic to do a 5k or a 10k. By signing up for this event, it could motivate and devote you to train and ultimately be proud of yourself in the end. Summer is definitely a time to relax and de-stress, but don’t fall into a lazy slump.