Over the summer students return home from college to escape school and take a break. Luckily we have nice warm weather as opposed to winter break. Now it’s no secret that all college students want is to see their friends and catch up on everything each other missed, catch up on sleep, and enjoy the time with no classes. Between that time I encourage you to get outside and get active while in the company of friends. In addition to fresh air, soaking up sun increases vitamin D in your body for positive effects. If you’re at a loss as to what to do outside, below is a list of fun things to enjoy over break, consider it a bucket list.
- Take a Walk. Walking is a simple activity that can take as much or as little time as you’d like. Pop some headphones in and walk to the nearest park, walk to the store for groceries, or even go to the nearest body of water and walk along a trail for a nice breeze and to cool off. What’s nice about walking is that if you’re catching up with a friend it’s easy to lose track of time and how far you have walked, which increases the amount of exercise you’ve done!
- Bike. One of my personal favorites is biking. I enjoy finding a trail and biking for miles. It’s very freeing because I enjoy the time to myself with the wind in my face. It’s also a simple alternative if you need to go a short distance, as it replaces driving.
- Rent a Kayak. Kayaking is a summer activity that can also be done with a friend, although this time on the water. Kayaking allows you to stay mostly dry while you’re on the water, but it’s not as intense as swimming. As a bonus you may see wildlife, such as ducks, swim right up to you!
- Take a nature hike. Going on a hike is fun because you can sightseeing while you’re at it. You can motivate yourself to get to the top of the hill or mountain if that’s the type of terrain you’re interested in. Or it can be as simple as packing a picnic lunch and pointing out wildlife on the way.
- Swim. One of the classic ways to stay active while outdoors in the summer is to swim. Find the nearest pool or body of water and cool down while enjoying some exercise.
If you’re interested in relaxing while outside the possibilities are endless. Taking a nap in a hammock or on a lounge chair increases your exposure to fresh air, just as long as you don’t fall asleep in the sun, so finding a nice tree can be part of the adventure. If you go out to lunch or dinner, try to scope out a place that may have seating outdoors. If you’re babysitting this summer, children love a trip to the playground, plus a bonus for you is that it will tire them out and a nap is almost guaranteed. And finally, a summer classic is eating ice cream outdoors to beat the heat.