If you live in a small town, life can seem a little boring after a while. Sometimes the most exciting thing to do seems to be driving around with your best friends blasting music for hours on end. Even though that’s extremely fun, there’s always another part of you that wants something new and even more fun to experience. So, here are a few tips on how to find new and exciting things to do when you’re bored in your hometown!
1. Make a list of places you love to go to
Making a list of places that you already know you love ensures that you will never forget that they exist. Sometimes you go to a restaurant or a store for the first time and you have such an amazing day, but after a few weeks, you forget that that place even exists. It’s important to keep a list of those places on your phone, computer, or even your favorite notebook to make sure you don’t forget about them.
2. Grab your friend(s) and drive somewhere that you’ve already been to
The best thing to do when you are looking for new places to experience is to go somewhere familiar. I know this may sound strange, but there are so many things that are hidden around town that you probably have never even heard of before. Driving somewhere that you have already been to allows you to be comfortable with the area around you, but still gives way to finding new things and places to experience. Maybe there’s a farmer’s market or art festival you didn’t know was happening that day – every day there is something new for you to see!
3. Take 10-15 minutes and make note of different places or things that sound interesting
While you’re driving jot down a list of places that you have maybe never seen, heard of but never tried, or things that just sound interesting. I know in my town, a lot of stores and restaurants are located in shopping plazas, and there are always new things popping up in and around those plazas – you just need to look! That list can help you when you are so bored and you want to do something fresh and exciting! Having a description of the places you wrote down can help you when you are looking for something specific to do. Names can be deceiving so it’s important to know what each new place has to offer!
4. Repeat with different locations, both near and far to where you live
Once you get through the places that are close to you, you’ll probably want to go venture somewhere that is a little farther than usual. My suggestion, if you can, is to drive somewhere relatively new, maybe it’s a place that you have heard of but never seen, and simply just Google “restaurants near me” or “parks near me”. Google can be very vague when searching for “fun things to do” so it’s great to be specific to get the results you want and not waste time. Then write a few of the results down that seem fun and choose one!
5. Don’t be afraid to try, and make sure you have friends by your side
Whether it’s your sister, mom, brother, dad, boyfriend or best friend, the best memories are the ones made with the people you love. Make sure you are trying new things with someone who will be by your side to make extraordinary memories. Also, don’t be afraid of trying new things. Life is always so much more fun when there’s a little bit of mystery. Make sure to not hold yourself back from experiences because of fear or judgment. Try something new and you never know what you’ll find!
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