Over the summer, we Notre Dame students are confronted with a strange, nebulous concept called free time. During the frenzied school year, free time is a pipe dream, but it becomes a quick reality over the summer no matter your plans. Even internships still leave open nights with no homework. The one exception to this is if you’re spending your summer abroad, in which case stop reading this article and go to a pub or something.
Otherwise, summers can become the boring countdown space between goodbyes in May and the ever-awaited first game day.
But there are ways avoid this summer slump.
1. Netflix Binges
Now some may suggest more educational ways to avoid boredom, but when else are you able to watch five seasons of a show in a week and not feel guilty about it? It is possible that if you are like me, you decided to start a new captivating show during finals time and felt constantly guilty about it. So now’s your time. Orange is the New Black, Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, and countless more full series are available on Netflix. Pick your poison.
2. Get a Hobby
This was suggested to me today when I sent a snapchat from my bed at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. To be fair, I had just worked out, so I was rewarding myself. But to be fair to them, it is truly absurd to be in a bed at mid-afternoon on a beautiful sunny day.
Summer is the time to do the stuff you never get to do over the year. Pick up knitting, make a t-shirt quilt, do other things crafty Pinterest members might suggest.
3. Take a Road Trip
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re decently young. Gather up some friends and drive somewhere you’ve never been before. Listen to Young and Wild and Free by Wiz Khalifa and Snopp Dogg (Lion?) on the way there. Get lost. Take advantage of one of the last times where you don’t have much responsibility and enjoy being young and stupid.
4. Thrift Shop
What, what, what, what. What, what, what, what. Don your fur coat like Macklemore and promptly take it off because it’s hot outside. Thrift shopping is so fun. Even if you don’t buy anything, you can simply go to be amazed at all of the weird crap that exists in the world.
5. Catch Up with Old Friends
I know it’s easy to stick to those couple of people you liked from high school and count down the days until you can see your college friends again, but take this rare opportunity of free time to see people you were close with in the past. Elementary school friends, middle school friends, high school friends, camp friends, whatever. Hopefully, they are still cool or have even gotten cooler. They might not be your closest friends any more, but chances are they are probably still a blast.
This was one of the first google image results for “Catching up with Old Friends.” I didn’t hate it.
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