Summer: A time for warm weather, excitement, ridding of school related worries, and most importantly, freedom. But, sometimes this freedom extends its due period and creates excessive amounts of boredom. When you’re not busy with work or interning, it can be hard to fill your time with things to do. You can only lay in your bed watching Netflix for so long before you realize you’ve wasted away your summer vacation. Instead of lying around, spice up your summer with new things – It could end up being the best season of your life!
1. Find a hobby
During the school year, we tend to find ourselves focusing all of our energy into work that’s inside the classroom. In the summer you have plenty of time to focus on your own specific interests and develop them.
For instance, you can start writing those short stories that you’ve always wanted to write, but didn’t have the time to do before. Sick of the scenery in your bedroom? Switch it up! Make a summer project of redecorating your room or apartment. The little things that you love to do: do them. Summer is the time to let your creativity flow, especially when it involves the hobbies that you love.
2. Volunteer
Volunteering is one of the best ways to get experiences that not only look good on a résumé, but it can also be personally rewarding. Places such as nursing homes, animal shelters or hospitals are great places to devote free time to and gain memorable experiences. Although there is no pay involved, giving up your time for a greater cause is definitely worth it. The people you’ll meet, animals you’ll play with and other opportunities that come about will be remembered forever.
3. Keep a journal
Writing is an essential. Yes, you may think that writing is only for the school year. However, writing down your thoughts on a daily basis keeps your mind sharp, as well as your writing skills. One of the greatest things about having a journal, especially during the summer, is that you can look back at it in the end and recount all of the amazing things that happened. It’s great for looking back at funny stories, more difficult times and insightful moments that help you remember that you are only human. Summer is a time for memories, and what better place to document that than your own journal?
4. Challenge yourself
As cliché as it sounds, summer is the time to challenge yourself. There are endless opportunities to discover things about yourself that work and school may have kept you from. Want to try a new look? Do it! Give yourself a haircut you never thought you’d try. Branch out and change up your wardrobe – change is perfectly okay. Dare yourself to do things you never thought you’d do. Be spontaneous, meet new people and try new foods. Make an adventure out of everything you do. In the end, you want to be able to look back on all the new things you’ve tried and see the ways they’ve shaped you.
5. Get in shape
With some free time on your hands, why not go outside and stretch those muscles? Warm weather makes it easy to go out and take a walk, jog or run. If you want an indoor atmosphere, you can even sign up at your local gym for a membership or class. Any way you can, move your body! Get your friends involved, too – Meet up for a hike or a yoga class. Teaming up always makes working out a fun activity.
6. Relax
While you don’t want to be lying around all the time during summer, you still need some down time. All of that hard work during the school year necessitates a bit of relaxation. Go lay out under the shade, set up a picnic blanket or find a quiet place to read. Since there is no school, there’s plenty of down time available at your own cost. Use it wisely and leisurely. Before your last days of summer come to an end, make sure you’ve taken some time to do what’s best for your health – relax!
Summer is a season to enjoy your free time, but not to a point where you’re moping around complaining that you’ve done nothing fun so far. If you feel like there’s nothing you can’t do, there is. Enjoy making memories and finding time for yourself. Make this summer your best one yet.