There are only so many things that can fill 365 days, even just the 90 or so days of summer begin to drag on with monotony. I am either working or sleeping in until noon and watching Netflix. Social media does a grand job at making everyone else look like they are living paradise all summer, soaking in the sun, next to their five pools, and occasionally taking their yacht out for a spin, but I can guarantee you, if you are reading this, the person you envy is also looking for things to do.
And so to fill these long hours of nonsense, I decided to sit down and think of the most random, but hopefully, at least, mildly entertaining. Make this a bucket list to do with friends or a significant other! If you make it a challenge you are more likely to get off your butt and actually do some of these things!
1. Run a 5K
I am definitely not normally someone to suggest exercise, or running specifically, but running a 5k is so rewarding. If you are not a crazy person who does an Ironman every weekend, then 5k's aren't a walk in the park, but they are also the easiest to finish! If you complete one with a companion, it makes it that much better, because you can train together and support each other, or carry each other if you have to!
2. Complete a Triathlon
Jumping a bit from a 5k, Triathlons are much harder, but if you don't like just running or you want more of a challenge with your friends or significant other, than do all three: running, swimming, and biking!
3. Have a baking competition
I have very limited knowledge when it comes to baking or cooking, but I am too competitive to let that stop me. Baking competitions are so fun because you can pretend you are on a baking show and you are under a time crunch to bake a cake that is better than everyone else's. Not only can you mess with your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend, you can have a plethora of desserts to eat at the end!
4. Tree climbing competition
Go to some wooded area near you (hopefully you live near some trees otherwise I feel so sorry for you) and find as many climbing trees and race each other to the top, or as far up as you can go. It is pretty good exercise and there is nothing quite like looking out over the surrounding area from the top of a tree. Embrace your inner child and get a few splinters!
5. Go paintball fighting
Paintball fighting is one of the most entertaining ways to exert aggression. If one of your friends is getting on your nerves, just pop them with a few paintballs, and there are no hard feelings! It can definitely hurt and you will see damage when you are finished and later looking in the mirror, but it is exhilarating and colorful, what more could you ask for?
6. Skydive (or fake skydiving)
I have never gone skydiving for real, but it is number one on my bucket list as I have already tried the fake skydiving that happens in a wind tunnel. That is still a blast, but the real deal gives you a magnificent view for miles across the horizon. Kind of like the reality just drops away for a few minutes as you peacefully plummet to the ground staring at the world around you. No matter who you go with I am sure, you will not be disappointed with this excursion.
7. Go cliff jumping
Lakes and reservoirs often have rocks or boulders that border them, and to continue the trend of jumping off of high places, cliff jumping is thrilling and becomes quite addictive (to me) once you do it once. The anticipation before you reach the water is so incredible, and you can get some cool action pictures with you and your companions in the air!
8. Paddle boarding
Many say that paddle boarding can be boring, but sometimes it is nice to just paddle slowly on mild water. Still water is one of the most soothing atmospheres on earth, so leisurely floating along a river, or reservoir is so nice. I like to just sit and think sometimes, but if you go with multiple people, you can always make the outing a bit more rowdy with jousting others off their paddle boards.
9. Write a short story together
I think this would be fun if you play it like a MadLib... everybody writes a paragraph and has to then pass the story to the next person. By the end the story would be completely off from the original inspiration and seeing where it ends up would be fun. Or you could just bounce ideas off each other and have a bit of a creative brainstorm session.
10. Make your own board game
I don't know about everyone else, but I get really bored of all the average board games, and constantly want to play a new one. I have also been watching "New Girl" recently, and their game 'True American', just sparked the idea of creating a new game of my own...I haven't gotten very far, but I think it would be fun to bounce ideas off of friends. That way your group of friends can always have a unique game to play only they know!
11. Leave book notes
I have always wanted to do this! Walking around every book store in your town or city and leaving little notes for the readers of those books. I would recommend positive comments; something inspiring, or just kind. I saw a little store once with book reviews hidden in books all around, so if you really know your books, you can also leave little critiques to help out the future readers in their endeavor to find the perfect book.
12. Dress up in costumes for no reason
Sometimes you just need to embrace the kid in you, but you could prank the people around you by coordinating costumes with your friends and re-enacting incidents associated with the costumes. You could dress up as the cast of "The Office" and go around re-creating scenes from the show around town. You could video people's reactions and put it up on YouTube, who knows, maybe you'll be famous!
13. Get the cheapest flight out of your city for a weekend
This idea is kind of cliché, but I have always wanted to do it non-the-less. If you and your compadres, just hop on a plane and go, you could get to see some really cool random places. No matter where you go, each city has a hidden gem to explore, and sometimes you just need that weekend break to go on an adventure.
14. Go bar/café hopping
People always talk about going bar hopping, going from one establishment to the next with your friends drinking and having a good time, but a more mellow version, for calmer occasions, and for those who are like me and still have yet to turn 21, you can go from café to café. This only works if they are small cafés, because chain coffee shops are overrated, and don't have the same uniqueness to their menu or atmosphere. The whole point of café crawling, is to experience all the different drinks and ambiences between them all and your friends get a multitude of photo-ops.
15. Go hiking somewhere new
Living in Colorado, there are new trails all over the state, but I tend to only stay in the same area and do the same hike over and over again. While any hike is fun, the main point of a hike is to experience nature and see spectacular views, and if you go on the same trail all the time, you aren't going to see anything new! So branch out and find some hidden trails!
16. Drive somewhere without GPS and have a meal
Society, or at least the younger generations, don't go anywhere new without their phone maps telling them where to go, I am definitely guilty of this because I don't like to miss the restaurant I researched the night before. But I want to see what it is like to just get in the car and drive in a direction I rarely travel and stop somewhere completely random and eat at a small restaurant. I will probably have a panic attack for not knowing where I am, but I think it would be fun to get a lost a little bit with friends or a significant other.
17. Watch a movie you've never seen...
DUH, no one enjoys watching the same movie on repeat every night, but to put a slight twist on this, what if you and you friends put the movie on mute and improvise the dialogue for yourselves. Assign everyone a character and every time that character comes on screen you have to be quick and think of something witty to fit the scene. I think this would turn out horribly, but would also be great fun and cause a lot of laughs!
18. Go to a random sporting event
Everyone knows about the classic major leagues sports, but what about minor league baseball, or softball, or rugby. Sporting events are so fun to just go get a bunch of food and cheer for both teams randomly. Tickets would be cheap and it's great to just support the teams that don't get as much recognition, but are still fantastic!
19. Jet-skiing
I really don't think this one needs explanation... jet-skiing is my favorite summer activity, as you just cruise across the water, and occasionally stop to take a dip!
20. Take a painting class
I do not have a single artistic bone in my body, but I think it would be fun to take a painting class with someone whose presence you enjoy. You could make fun of each other's work, while also actually learning how to paint a flower the right way. Not to mention painting classes, that are at the local recreation center, are cheap so money would not be an issue.
21. Take a cooking class
Again, my cooking knowledge consists of scrambled eggs and soup, so taking a cooking class with friends would be so much fun. As you mess up you can tease each other, but at the end of the day you will know how to make a new dish!
22. Walk around town with side-walk chalk...
And just draw fun stuff! Like the book notes, you could just leave nice comments to brighten to passersby's day. You get to be kind of artistic and spread joy without people knowing!
23. Serenade random people
If you know how to play an instrument that would make this even better, but either way, I think everyone loves a good serenade. If you and your friends go up and serenade random strangers, I think the reactions would be priceless! You could video them, like the costume reactions, and put it online!
24. Stand on a street corner and hand out flowers/balloons
This could cost you a bit more money than the others, depending on how many balloons and flowers you want to hand out, but either way, I think this sounds like a blast. Every time I have run into someone handing out flowers, it has brightened my day. It may just be a flower or a balloon, but small gestures like that go a long way, and making people smile all day with friends sounds like hoot to me!
25. Go rock climbing
Some places, don't have the best natural rocks for intense rock climbing, but even indoor rock-climbing is so fun. I was thinking about it the other day, in fact, I haven't gone rock-climbing in YEARS, so what a great time to go! It can be hard, but always rewarding when you get to the top. If you're an expert, you can race the others for some healthy competition.
26. Write down stories and guess whose story it is
This is more like a game to play, but still, it gives you something to do! Everyone has to think of a few stories that no one knows, and write them out. Everyone then goes around and picks a story out of a hat or bowl, and you have to try and guess who wrote that particular event. This would bring everyone closer and creates good vulnerability for roasting each other... in a loving way.
There are actually more things to do than you think, you just have to sit down and think about it! Many of these, I still have yet to try, but I hope at least a few of them can curb the ache of boredom.
sunrise
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bonfire friends
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sadness
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purple skies
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true love
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My Cheerleader
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womans transformation to happiness and love
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future life together of adventures
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