How do you use summer break to, well, take a break? Especially if you are limited by a small budget or have a tight summer job schedule. This list is not a to-do list. It does not include the boring or “practical” bits such as cleaning your house or planning your fall semester (though those are important too).
1. Travel somewhere new (and stay the night)
Taking a break from your everyday environment can help you get your mind off the daily grind, which lets you come back with a refreshed mind. Staying for at least one night is recommended, because then you’ll also have the evening to explore the area without having to worry about the last bus home. A mini-vacation over the weekend can be doable even within a smaller budget: you could book a train ticket for exploring the next town over, maybe splitting accommodation costs with a friend.
2. Try a new hobby
Maybe now is the time you learn to play the harmonica or to do yoga. Maybe you hope to try your hand at writing – stories, songs, or calligraphy. This could be another way to hang out with a friend – or to get precious time for yourself. Remember that the key word here is “try”. It’s not the end of the world if you are not “productive” in the sense that you actually finish knitting a scarf or writing a novel. It’s more about the process and the ability to say that you had a go at something new.
3. Read something you wouldn’t usually read
Most of us have a certain genre we like to stick to, so switch things up! If you usually read fiction, read non-fiction. If you like prose, try a poetry collection. If you tend to stick to authors from a certain country or writing in a certain language, try writers from other parts of the world. If you prefer mystery novels, try a “chick lit” book, or vice versa. Libraries are a goldmine – besides city libraries, remember that university libraries also have a collection of fiction and poetry that you can access with your usual uni library card.
4. Visit a local event
Is your hometown or even your home neighborhood organizing an event – a farmer’s market, a renaissance fair, a concert, or a garage sale? Be sure to stop by. Use it as an opportunity become one of the locals or alternatively as a way to become a tourist in your own town.
5. Spend a whole day on the beach/in a park
Pack sunscreen, a beach towel, and a picnic, with lots of water to drink. Remember not to overdo it in direct sunlight, even with sunscreen and a hat. If possible, bring a parasol or pick a spot near trees or buildings where there is shade at least part of the day, especially around noon. Relax with a good book, tunes or a portable game console and enjoy the outdoors.
6. Go berry picking
Whether it’s blueberries from the forest or strawberries from a local farm, self-picked berries are the epitome of the Finnish summer. Plus, berries from the forest are free, i.e. a 100% cheaper than store-bought!
7. Grow a plant
Depending on the space available, this could mean going all out in the garden, a box on the balcony, or just a pot on the windowsill or on a desk. Remember to check what plants would be best fit for your location: check the temperature and how much sun and wind the spot gets, and choose accordingly with the help of the seller. The plant could be a flower or a useful plant such as a herb you can use in your cooking.
8. Learn to make cocktails and mocktails
Going for summery drinks at a sunny rooftop bar is the epitome of vacation partying, but it can get kind of expensive. A fun way to enjoy cooling drinks is to learn to make them at home – maybe together with your friends. Besides liquors and other ingredients, a proper home bar would include a shaker, a strainer and other special tools, but most of the tools can be substituted with objects found available also in non-mixology kitchens. Don’t forget about lovely mocktails or any other non-alcoholic summery drinks, such as milkshakes or smoothies – maybe using the herbs and berries you’ve been growing and picking!
Bear in mind that a fully packed bucket list is not necessarily a realistic list. Some tasks are going to take longer than allocated, messing up your strict schedule. Other itineraries might depend on factors you can’t control, such as weather or the schedules of your friends.
And whether your personal list has 9 or 99 items, you should not feel bad for not completing all of them. Some days of the summer it’s nice to just be lazy, even get bored. Remember when you were a child and got bored during the summer because you had “nothing to do”, but that boredom made the summer feel longer? Embrace that feeling as you charge up energy for the next year.