Although there is so much to do while you're at school, there's also a lot to do if you want to come home and be with your family and friends. You can do absolutely nothing and just take a breather from the whole year, or you can actually go do something that is fulfilling.
1. Eat a lot of food, believe it or not.
When I was at school, I lost weight; when I got home, I gained some weight––oh well. The freshmen 15 only existed when I was back home. Why? Because all my favorite food was there, and because of the unending, busy schedule of the quarter system at Davis that distracted me from getting hungry during the day. Also because of the amazing gym we have on campus. At home, I finally got to have my parents' awesome baked ziti dinners and order my favorite, New York pizza. Trust me, there is a difference between pizza in New York and pizza basically anywhere else for me. So whatever you love to eat back home, take it; the dining halls might not have it at school.
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2. Catch up with old friends.
Whether they're your high school or hometown friends, reconnecting with everyone is always good. I can't tell you how amazing it was to see friends that I hadn't seen in years. Talking about your year at college, if it was either your first, second, third, or last year, believe me -- you will hear some interesting stories and even learn more about what your friends are growing up to be. Go to the beach with them, a party, the city, anything that you think is fun. You won't regret it.
3. Stay in touch with your college friends!
You're most likely going to spend a lot of time with them at school for the years to come. I'm always so elated to say that I talk with my friends throughout the summer. I love hearing about how their summers are, what they're doing, the places they've gone to. FaceTime and Skype are things that I am so thankful for. While I'm at school, I use them to see everyone at home; when I'm at home, I use them to see my friends that are across the country. You're going to miss your friends when you leave them, so do everything you can to just say "hey" to them once in a while when you're home.
4. Watch the newest movies.
I am a huge movie fan. I'm always happy to go out and see the next movie, but at school, it was hard to leave the busy college lifestyle to go downtown and watch a two-hour movie. Every year, I'd say that I had seen about 20 to 30 movies that hit theaters; in college, I only saw two. It was fun going out with my friends, but after a while, we became more interested in doing other things rather than sitting for two hours in a dark auditorium. Oh, and paying over $10 for a ticket, plus snacks. So once you're home, watch every movie that came out this year On Demand. You can see movies without having to push yourself to get off the couch for the day -- shocker. And let's face it: You're probably not the one paying for it anyway; just don't overload your parents' On Demand bill.
5. Get a job, an internship, volunteer, etc.
Just try to do something that gets you out of the house. While I would love to just chill out and work on my tan, I am so thankful that I was encouraged to apply for an internship. Without it, I wouldn't have had as much fun so far this summer. I know a lot of people who are working or volunteering this summer, and they always have great stories to tell about their day at work. I'm glad that I have this chance too. Even if you just need some extra money and you're working a job that's not out-of-this-world incredible, at least you can throw it on your resume. Trust me, just try to secure some kind of job in the summer.
6. Book a trip if you can.
I can't tell you how many people I know who have literally traveled the world in just a week this summer. They all came back with pictures of the coolest stuff. How could you not want to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean, or maybe just Disney World/Land? So many of my friends filled up their Instagrams with pictures of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Domincan Republic, and Disney's vast castle and adorable characters. I'm a big Disney fan, so I get jealous of anyone who had the opportunity to go to Disney. Traveling to places, even if it's still within the country or even the state you're in, I promise you that it's worth it.
7. Be with your family -- simple as that.
Go out with friends of course, but don't stay away from your family, especially if you go to school that's somewhat far from home. I can't begin to describe how much I miss my family every time I leave home. I have so much fun in Davis, but coming back to just hug my family is a privilege and something that I won't take for granted. Even if you're not so close with your siblings, your relatives, or possibly your parents, you should still at least make the effort to spend some time with them. The reason why you should is that time flies and you might miss some great things with your family if you're gone all the time.
8. Sleep.
If you think you got enough sleep every day in college, you're probably wrong. We sometimes don't realize how much sleep we've missed out on because of all those nights studying, talking with friends late at night in the dorms, or maybe partying all night once in a while. Although the late nights pay off, whether if they were dedicated to acing that exam the next morning or getting to know friends even more, a good night's sleep is needed. When I got home, despite the time difference, I was sleeping really late for the first few weeks of summer. I didn't realize how accustomed I'd grown to a nonstop work schedule that began early in the morning to late at night. I would wake up for my 8 a.m. class, go to the gym, binge-read my latest assigned book for my English class, bike to all the other classes, go to a couple theatre rehearsals, clock in to work, finish all my homework, study, then finally go to bed. Take it from me: Catch up on your sleep in the summer.
These obviously aren't the only things you can do when you're home for the summer, but they're definitely worthwhile. Coming home gives you the chance to decompress after all that studying and coffee-drinking, and for Davis students, hardcore biking everywhere. Enjoy your time back home while you can; it's a vacation from the year-round work you do at school.
