This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.
If you are like me, then you have already started your countdown until summer starts. I think we can all agree that summer is one of the best times, as there is no school responsibility, you have time to yourself, you get to travel, see your hometown friends and is overall a relaxing time. I have made up some goals/ Dos and Don’t that I will be implementing into my summer and encourage you to do the same!
DO spend more time outside
- I am the time of person to be holed up in my room, and be more of a vampire rather than going outside. However, getting sunlight has so many benefits for not only your physical body, but also for mental health. This summer I plan to spend more time outside, whether it be reading a book outside, watching a movie in my backyard or hanging around by the lake.
DO go on walks
- If you’ve read my last article, then you know that going on hot girl walks has become a new obsession for me. Going on walks is such a great way to get your body body by getting your steps up. You can take a friend, listen to music or a podcast or an audiobook, and just get that outside time. I love going on walks and I want to try to get to 10,000 steps a day. I have found that, for me, I have never felt healthier than when I consistently get 10,000 steps a day. I spent last summer in Europe and was forced to walk everywhere. However I saw a big change in how I felt and overall I felt I got more toned.
DON’T spend so much time on my phone
- I can’t lie, I have become addicted to my phone. I am constantly checking my phone, and just need to have it with me at all times. It is sad how much I have become dependent on my phone. So my goal for summer is to just not be on my phone. When hanging out with friends or family I want to keep my phone away from me, that way I am forced to be in the present with them rather than checking my phone for nothings. Instead of spending hours on tiktok, maybe pick up a book, start a new hobby or do something that keeps me from being on my phone all the time.
DO spend more time with friends and family
- It can be easy to just choose to spend your summer days by yourself, but, let’s be real, after a while it can be boring. Having friends and family you can hangout with is so important. Whether it be calling up a friend, or forcing your mom or sibling to go run errands with you, go get ice cream with, or just spend time with, it is important to get that social interaction while you are missing out on it when you are not getting it from schools/classes.
DO try new things
- This year, my resolutions have been about going out of my comfort zone and trying out new things. What better time to be outgoing and try new things than summer? I don’t know about you, but I feel like summer you is not real. You have a pass to do whatever you want, be whoever you want, and try to find out who you are in general, because you have the time to do so. You are not confined by who you are when you are in school and if you do anything too embarrassing, it’s okay because you will be back in school in a couple of months.
DON’T buy into the trends and buy a whole new wardrobe
- Influencers and trends have made it seem as though you need to buy a whole new set of clothes every season. However this is not the case! I still love and wear pieces that I have owned and worn for years. There is no need to buy into microtrends, and I would much rather stick with my staple pieces. I do not need to buy a new pair of shoes just for summer, when the sandals and converse I already own are perfectly fine. I do not need to buy fifty pairs of bathing suits when I can just wear and rewear the ones I own.
DO live in the moment
- The biggest thing I will be implementing this summer is to live in the moment. Oftentimes we get so caught up with social media, posting/documenting what you are doing or seeing what other people are up to that we forget to just take a moment to be in the actual present. Not everything needs to be documented. Take a moment to think back to your best memories/ best times. Those best memories are made when everyone is living in the moment, no phone in sight. You don’t need to prove to anyone that you are having a good time by posting about it, and you do not need to post about it as a way for you to remember it.