After a long spring semester, a finals week full of cramming and packing to come back home for the summer, the only thing motivating me to push through is thinking of all the fun things I get to do this summer and the different ways I’ll be able to keep myself busy. I find it hard to make time for my hobbies during the school year. I feel like it’s always an endless cycle of homework, exams, work, studying, office hours, and just trying even to get an ounce of sleep; hobbies usually end up on the bottom of my list. Balance is everything, and it’s definitely really important to know how to make time for the things you love like the gym, your favorite shows, exploring, but it can definitely be a struggle with the stress of the school year and clubs. So, the summer is the perfect time to rediscover the things you love and be able to invest your time into them again. Choosing different hobbies to keep you creative or active, is definitely a good way to cure any boredom, learn something new about yourself, and introducing it to your friends so you all can have a shared activity to do together or hobby to bond over.
There are a ton of things I plan on doing this summer that will not only help me rediscover my love for certain projects, but also archiving and preserving memories, and making it a way to spend time with friends, so this is my summer bucket list of new things I plan on getting into and looking forward to trying.
trying new recipes
The transition of coming from a college dorm room and eating the same dining hall meals every day, to finally having your own space to cook and try new things is one I look forward to at the end of each semester. Having my own space and use of the kitchen means everything to me because now all of those recipes saved in my favorites folder, can actually be put to good use. I made it a mission for myself this summer to try a certain number of recipes. Now, I haven’t decided how many recipes I was going to aim for, but I am thinking around 30-50. As someone who grew up watching Food Network as a kid, I love cooking and baking whole heartedly. Throughout the semester I have accumulated so many different recipes I have been looking to try and make but with the lack of resources and the lack of free time, I haven’t been able to try to make them. Summer is the best time to get into cooking because you have so many different ways to cook like grilling or smoking meats, and so many different things you can try to make like drinks, salads, ice cream, etc. Plus, summer is the perfect time to share your recipe creations with friends as you can bring them to your next hang out or gathering, a cookout, or simple dinner party.
Some of the main recipes I plan on trying this summer are like sourdough, unique ice cream flavors, Ina Garten’s brownie pudding, different mocktails, taco variations, Shake Shack copycat recipes, milk bread, getting into making things like your own sauces and condiments, essentially anything and everything. I plan on just trying to make things from scratch like breads, sauces, and literally anything I can think of. Starting my sourdough starter will be the first thing I do once I get home so in a week or two, I can start trying to make some sourdough recipes like sourdough loaves, sourdough bagels, sourdough cookies, sourdough cinnamon rolls etc. You can really use some sourdough starter in literally anything and things like bagels, breads, and pastries, have so many different ways to make new recipes like experimenting with different flavor combinations, adding inclusions, trying new ways to cook them and adding designs. Sourdough recipes allow for so much creative freedom and experimenting with new flavor profiles.
I’m sure once I am home, I will get more inspiration with the requests from my parents and siblings. I strongly urge everyone to try as many recipes as you can this summer and find the recipe you are good at and can be known for.
scrapbooking
Scrapbooking sounds like such a grandmother hobby to most, but I find it to be a lost art, or art form that looks different than it was when I was a child. Now, scrapbooking has been adapted and taken over with different forms like junk journaling and digital scrapbooking, but this summer I plan on going the old-fashioned route with the post-bound scrapbooks, printed photos, and cute stationary. I have always been a crafty person who loved to print photos or use polaroids to showcase my favorite memories, but keeping all of my favorite memories in a designated book I can look back on in a couple months, years, or even show to my nieces and nephews when they get older, reminiscing on specific chapters of my life. Scrapbooking is a beautiful way to get in touch with your craft and creative side but also gluing down your favorite memories with friends, events, and accomplishments. Scrapbooks are also a good gift idea to gift someone a book of all of your favorite memories together and taking the time to show how much you appreciate someone in your life can be worth more than any other gift.
I’d like to start by printing out all of my favorite memories from this past year and dedicating different pages to some basketball game memories, spring break memories, fall semester, spring semester, winter break, my birthday, etc. Then, going to a craft store (RIP Joann’s Fabrics) and buying some basic stationary, supplies, paper, and of course the scrapbook. Scrapbooking would be the perfect activity to sit after work or on a nice sunny day, drinking some iced tea, and watching a show or listening to some music in the background, chatting with siblings or friends you also could get into scrapbooking with. It doesn’t have to be so antique and grandma as you think, I would say everyone should give it a shot, even if it’s trying something like junk journaling or a digital scrapbook format using Canva. Canva has a really cool way of digital scrapbooking, messing around with the different options, fonts, colors, images, you have such a wide range of freedom, and you can even choose to print the pages when you’re done or purchase the pages to be made into a magazine or photobook. Preserve and archive those memories by printing them and keeping physical art alive.
filet crochet
Crocheting is another one of those activities that people view to be a really boring or grandmother thing to do, and granted, I did so happen to get inspiration and learn how to crochet from my own grandmother but that’s beside the point. I had learned how to crochet around 4 or 5 years ago now, and it really is hard to make time to do it during the school year with how busy I get, so using the time I have in the summer to rediscover my love for it and get to spend time trying harder and more complex patterns this summer is the goal. I have the basic crochet techniques down, but where things start to get more complex and unfamiliar to me is when I was introduced to the idea of filet crocheting which is crocheting visual designs similar to pixel art by using a tinier yarn and needle and using some mesh and lace techniques to get a design panel that is 2d. Filet crocheting takes an insane amount of time and patience as the designs are so intricate and precise, so definitely an activity that shouldn’t be done while I have four assignments wait for me before 11:59. A lot of people do the designs as a form of art to hang up or to place in a frame, make clothes like tops, or accessories like headbands and throw pillows. Filet crochet can take days at a time to complete, I look forward to being able to try filet crocheting and bring my projects to the beach, park, anywhere really. Crocheting isn’t for everyone since it is considerably difficult and a lot of people may not have the patience for it, but it is one of those really calming activities that you can sit with while you watch a show or lay out on the hammock doing, and you end up with a piece of work you made yourself and can be proud of.
dinner party + at home cafe
Hosting dinner parties is one of my favorite things to do and my favorite way to spend some time with friends while we dress cute, take photos, and catch up on work and school over a really thought-out meal, even sharing and swapping recipes with each other. Dinner party season is upon us especially with the weather warming up so we can eat outside and even use the grill to cook meats. Dinner parties don’t have to be as stressful as you think, just focus on inviting a good group of friends, making it potluck style (unless you can handle the stress of cooking for a large crowd and making multiple dishes), and focus on the simple recipes that can feed a crowd. The main focus of a dinner party is that moment where everyone is seated and just catching up, even playing some games after and sharing some funny stories.
Hosting a dinner party should be on everyone’s bucket list this summer as it will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, get creative, try some cute or silly themes, and try new recipes you can share with your guests. Hosting dinner parties isn’t a new concept to me, but I would like to make it a goal this summer to host more, try new recipes to feed my guests, try new themes, and getting creative with table settings and decor. I would like to make is a more consistent thing like let’s say my friend group has a dinner party every other Sunday night, or everyone takes turn hosting and getting to host their own dinner party. I think it would be a really nice way to be able to experiment with more recipes and have some sort of gathering that is consistent to maximize the short summer months you have with your hometown friends.
Now, hosting dinner might not be everyone’s thing or can be too much so the idea of hosting an at home cafe has been really popular over the internet. If you have friends that love coffee, matcha, or even teas, this would be a really fun way to sit with friends, swap and share some pastries and sandwiches, and just sip on your drink creations. A lot of coffee lovers like to experiment with making their own syrups or cold foams, so trying new recipes and or cool coffee combinations would be a nice way to showcase them. Making your living room or kitchen into a pop-up coffee shop, all of your guests have the liberty of getting creative with their drinks and making it customized and can leave the fear of having their name misspelled at home. A lot of these at home cafe gatherings I have seen online also make it potluck style with the host making the coffees and providing different toppings and options, and guests can share and bring new inclusions or bringing pastries, sandwiches, and little snacks to eat alongside your drink. This can be a really cute idea if you have friends that love coffee or matcha and it lets you pretend to be a barista for a day. This is a lower effort idea but still equally cute, lets you dive into the world of homemade coffee recipes, and a simple way to spend time with friends.
gardening
Every summer, my family always tries to explore the idea of gardening and trying to grow simple things like herbs, strawberries, and small vegetables, but every time we always run into pests and animals eating the products right before they can get harvested. It can get so frustrating and annoying, but after taking the time to learn how to avoid those situations, learning about how to protect the produce, and learning how to maximize the nutrients your growing plants can get, I think this is the summer we can actually have a full harvest.
Typically, we plant our plants or herbs in pots or directly into the ground, no real protection against animals and nothing else like dirt. After educating myself on how to garden efficiently and effectively, I decided that investing in a raised garden bed would make sense for our backyard and help us protect against the animals that eat our heads of lettuce. A raised garden bed also will allow for the bottom to be protected and provide extra nutrients when we fill it with some sticks, cardboard, leaves, and soil. We also plan to add some sort of protective layer around the raised bed to protect our growing plants from being eaten. Though it will be a little late in the season to start growing some things, I think it is still best I give it a shot and try to grow as much as I can, just for a little practice and in hopes I am able to grow some produce and herbs I can use later on in my recipes.
Even if it’s just growing small and simple things like herbs and flowers, everyone should try to take advantage of the nice weather and time you have to grow something, anything, and just get in touch with their nature side of things. Growing our own rosemary and thyme is a must every summer. We love to use it in our dishes and cook it with steak, and it also has some other benefits when people use it in their hair recipes or against mosquitoes. Even growing something so simple as your own lettuce or mint, can be used in everyday recipes and takes a low amount of effort and time. So, whatever it is you choose to grow this summer, just choose to grow something.
hiking/disconnecting with friends
The summer is THE time to explore nature and disconnect after a long semester of being in front of the laptop and sitting in lectures. Moving in any which way is essential but the nice summer weather opens up so many options for exploring nature and taking road trips out to remote trips and disconnecting. Camping is the best way to spend some time out in nature, explore new places, try something new if you have never done it before, and grounding yourself, being away from the chaos of everyday life, and just a trip with the closest friends or family you have. There are a lot of different ways to go about camping like tent camping, staying in a cabin, RV camping, car camping, glamping, staying at a camp site vs camp resort etc. With all the different options you are free to explore the different choices and choose one that best fits your group’s needs. It is super important to take some time and disconnect, being away from a laptop screen, being away from your phone, and just using the limited nice weather we get to explore and explore nature with the people you trust. In a time where climate change is destroying our environments it is urged to visit your local national parks or explore some forests and mountains. Being from Massachusetts, I look forward to spending some time hiking in New Hampshire or visiting Maine with friends and even possibly planning some small cabin trips where we can unplug and just be present in the moment. Whether it’s a road trip, going somewhere local, small weekend trip, day trip, or you decide to visit some national parks via airplane, just go outside, go on a hike, a walk, and bask in the views of nature now that we actually have leaves on trees and see some nice views you have only seen in pictures or on the side of the highway.
solo dates
Knowing how to be someone who can happily enjoy the presence of themselves and themselves only is a skill that many people in this day and age don’t have but it is something that is so important. Knowing how to just happily enjoy the presence of yourself and not feel some sort of worry or need to be with someone else is so important to figuring out yourself, your interests, passions, goals, boundaries, that you wouldn’t be able to explore with the presence of being with someone, anyone, 24/7. It is crucial to be able to take some time alone to yourself, and just take a moment of peace and reflection, especially during such a stressful and hectic time, and without the use of technology. A lot of people worry that being alone can cause them to overthink and initiate some sort of downward spiral of stress that prevents them from being alone, I advise that as someone who has been there and understands that fear and moment that you start overthinking, that learning how to comfortably be alone takes time, it is trial and error. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn if you can handle it and learning how to handle it. Being comfortably alone doesn’t have to be viewed negatively, just means taking the time to take a breath of air without anyone else, and still being super content and at peace. Whether it is journaling alone, or just going to the coffee shop alone, trying something small and taking small steps to begin with can help those who haven’t been able to step out of their comfort zone.
Taking yourself on solo dates has been trending lately as people make attempts to normalize it, and it is a great way to invest into yourself, recharge, and just treat yourself to some self-care. Being able to enjoy doing things alone is super beneficial because I think it is important to remember that not everyone is going to want to share the same experience, activity, or general thing with you, or people get busy over the summer with working, internships, summer research, etc. So, taking yourself on those dates or doing those activities alone, so you don’t have to rely on or wait for anyone else, just doing something you have been wanting to do but not having to wait for someone. There are a lot of small solo date ideas such as treating yourself to a massage, going out to dinner, trying a new cafe, go painting, paint pottery, picnic, cooking class, going to see a movie, museum, library, beach, farmers market, and so much more. Going to go do something fun and on your to do list can be really relaxing and give you some time to reflect and enjoy some me-time. I am someone who can very comfortably do things alone and I weirdly enjoy being alone as much as I enjoy spending time with friends. Being alone allows me to recharge my social battery and give myself a moment of peace as I think on something or try something I have been meaning to do.
video diary/vlogs/blogging
I am not someone who typically enjoys the concept of vlogging and just recording myself in general because I don’t like to hear the sound of my own voice or watch the videos playback, but it is definitely something I want to fix. Whether it is recording small clips throughout the summer, recording full days on vacation to watch back on, I want to get more comfortable filming and editing as a way to save my fun trips and hang outs with friends. They don’t necessarily have to be in full length of the day, just small clips and small moments I could use, I would like to be able to learn how to edit and compile some sort of compilation video I can play at the end of the summer and look back on the months to come. Getting over the fear of filming myself and posting online, is one that I struggle with, but with practice, I hope can be resolved come the end of summer. Creating small little vlogs of video diary clips for myself and my family is more of the route I am planning to take rather than the notion and intention of posting online and on YouTube. With the intention of keeping the videos to myself and my inner circle, will allow me to become more comfortable in front of the camera and allow me to use small moments I get to film without any sort of hesitation or fear of being judged and embarrassed.
Blogging has become my most recent project and goal I have this summer as I plan on trying to build and create my own blog. Now, this is a new territory for me, and it has been something I have been learning about recently so I can learn how to develop my own blog, where, and the rules. My plans for my blog will include pretty much a wide variety of things like reviewing recipes, sharing trip experiences, sharing opinions and advice, music I like, shows or movie reviews, essentially any and everything. I really would like to build a space that is more of an extension of the person people see on Instagram, and a space where people can view a more personal side of me where I get to share my favorite songs or crochet projects. I would like it to be a space that is less public than my Instagram, but more of a place where I can be myself and more open with my interests and share my experiences and creative freedom. Stay tuned!
Conclusion
The end of a semester is the light at the end of the tunnel as we wrap up on exam season as we begin to get more freedom with focusing on work schedules, planning time with friends and family, and reinvesting into yourself and the hobbies and activities you once spent all of your days doing. Summer is the perfect time to relearn how to balance your work and social life but also remember to include the time for your hobbies and the things you love to do. Investing into the things you have a passion for becomes lost during the school year as they get pushed to the bottom of the priority list after studying, projects, assignments, and exams make it impossible to make time for it. Summer is the time where I think everyone should explore their creative side, explore nature, try something new, try to make new memories, and learn new things about yourself. So, think of what ways you want to reinvest in yourself to recover from the end of the semester or what hobbies you want to explore!