This isn’t my first time writing an article for how to spend your break in the school year. My first one included only activities you can do without money, because that’s how I learned to live my life: broke. This time, because it’s summer and we deserve to splurge on ourselves every now and then, I’ll keep a variety in costly and cheap activities. Besides, you have about 100 days before you have to worry about school again, so let’s figure out how to enjoy this time as much as possible.
Take a vacation, even for a day
It doesn’t have to be in another country and all boujee and expensive, but a vacation can be the next town over and a few hours. Go to Hershey Park, a museum, the Philly Zoo, the beach, a park, Six Flags, and other fun places. Bring a bunch of friends and family, and you won’t have to empty your wallet for an awesome time. If you happen to have some cash saved up, go on a Cruise, cause they’re not as expensive as planes. If you like sightseeing, go to New York City, or Philly, or DC and relax and take pictures of awesome places.
Travel somewhere new
Traveling doesn’t have to mean sitting for hours in a car, doing things for a few hours, then going back home, or an expensive plane flight. Go on a road trip, take a train, or get that cruise I mentioned. You can use a road trip organizer and enter in your destinations, and see what you can pass on the way. There’s also always ways to get ahold of pamphlets to see what’s happening along a train ride.
Hang out with family
You haven’t seen family that much throughout the semester, so take the time to hang out with them as much as you can. I know you’re going to want to be out of the house doing things all the time, but remember they’ve missed you so much. Incorporate your family into the activities you do, cause it’ll be just as fun with them than with anyone else.
Throw a party
Reminder that you’re an adult now, and adults make adult decisions. One of those decisions is to throw a party. Not only is it a cheap way to have fun at home, but it’s also easy to see all your friends from high school at the same time. Grab some cheap snacks, set up music and lights, and bam you have a party. Work in a fun event if you don’t want to have it at home, like bowling together, a mall trip, a concert, or the beach. Just be safe, please!
Do something meaningful
I’ve always liked to volunteer when I’m home, because I was close with a local animal shelter back home. Other than that, at least once a year my cleaning habits would kick in and I would clean out my room and donate anything I didn’t want to keep. So as you unpack your dorm stuff, go through everything, and donate what you can. Between work and activities, try to maybe find some time to volunteer. It doesn’t have to be more than a few hours a week. Think of it this way, you’ve been extremely busy this entire semester with schoolwork, and now you’re all free with time, so spend it doing good.
DE-STRESS
I don’t need to the one to tell you that this school year was stressful, you already know it was. Deadlines, sleepless nights, junk food, and no time to relax: for months. But now we’re free, but we’ve got a long life ahead of us, so take these short few months to de-stress as much as you can. Sleep in late, binge watch Netflix for days, be happy with friends, and take care of yourself. Come back to the next semester, or your new job or internship, looking refreshed, and feeling it too.
Shopping spree
I don’t know about anyone else, but I found it hard to find time to go shopping during the semester for new clothes. Especially with upcoming internships and jobs we all have soon enough, and our clothes going back and forth between campus and home all the time, it’s important to update everything. Get some more business casual wear, but also some relaxing sweats for days spent in High Library, or a cute dress for the next campus-wide event. Go spoil yourself, and remember, winter wear goes on sale in the summer!
Prep for another semester
Unfortunately, this isn’t over yet. Unless you’re graduating and not going onto grad school, there’s another semester to come, and if you are leaving college, you have to face life. No matter what, there’s going to be more tired days, stacks of assignments, stressful weeks, and tough times to come. But we’re young, and we need to remember life is a roller coaster. Make this summer a high point that will inevitably be worth it.