Summer is just around the corner and for many, it's already here, so what are you doing when you finally find time to see your friends? In a surprising turn of events, you realize you don't have a lot of money to spend with or for them. Now what? Well, it's quite simple actually. Do the things that don't cost anything.
1. Meet up at a mall.
Going to the mall can be extremely cheap as long as you don't buy anything. Prom season has finally ended or possibly is started for some high schools, so why not try on some super expensive and pretty dresses or horrendous ones. Look at pretty diamonds or earrings that you know you will never buy, but just want to look at. Try on some outfits from your favorite store that remind you of Coachella. It doesn't hurt to window shop things that you know you will never buy or wear.
2. Go to a park.
Who said you were too old to play and hang out on a playground? Who said you couldn't swing on a swing set? No one! So go for it! Have fun and and play. There will come a day when you may not be able to play on a playground with your best friends again.
3. Go to a DOG park.
There is nothing better than going to the great outdoors. There is also nothing better than dog watching. In college you are most likely entirely dog deprived. However, once school is out, dogs are everywhere! The dog park is the next best thing. There are so many dogs who will approach you and sniff you happily. There are also dogs that will collapse to the ground and beg for a belly rub. What more could you want!
4. Go to the boardwalk.
If you live near the beach, or maybe your college friend does, find an excuse to go! The boardwalk is filled with so many fun things that you don't even have to go to the water if you don't want to. The boardwalk gives you all the contents of the beach except going onto the sand. There are so many interesting shops that have things that you probably wouldn't buy, but love looking at. You can find funny shirts, shot glasses, and pants that you know you would never use. But hey, you get to spend some quality time with your friend.
5. Go to the beach.
This applies to going to a free public beach where you do not need badges. This varies from place to place, but this still entitles that fact that you can enjoy the time with friends. You can take some fun pictures before you run straight for the cool water in the hot summer sun. When you're done, you can lay on the beach and eat your packed sandwiches. There are so many options you can use at the beach, and there are so many games you can play to the point where you don't even have to go in the water.
6. Do a photo shoot.
This can be literally ANYWHERE. You can go and meet up somewhere with your friends and take some great artsy photos. You can do this from anywhere that you live and can be during any time of the day. There are so many options with lights, tapestries, props, and outfits that make photo shoots so interesting. Get creative and have fun!
7. Paint Rocks.
There's this really cool thing that Cape May does where people paint rocks and put them in places around. Then locals or tourists find them and pick them up. Then they hide them! It's actually super cute because it really brings people together and it's really fun watching the rocks travel from one place to another. Start a little Facebook page and do it with your school or maybe even your whole town! Or paint rocks and decorate your room/dorm/ house with them!
8. Cut up an old magazine and make art.
You would be surprised how cool and fun it is to find old magazines and cut them up. It's pretty interesting if you ask me. On those rainy summer days, you might find something hard to do. Your plans got changed and now there's nothing left to do except stay inside. Make a little craft day with your friends! Your mom probably has old magazines somewhere laying around not being used. This can be extremely complex or as simple as you want them to.
9. Do a challenge.
This does not mean doing one of those extremely dangerous challenges you find on the internet. I mean the blindfolded makeup challenge or the jelly bean challenge. There are so many cool ones you can try that don't put your health at risk.
10. Unplug.
Nothing is better than seeing someone you care about and probably won't see all that often over the summer. Put your phone away and just enjoy the company of your friends. This can mean literally unplugging and going to the middle of nowhere to see the milky way galaxy or this can mean hanging out together in a room with no one's phones around and just talking about whatever there is to talk about. This world is filled with so many distractions that we often forget to live in the present with the people we care about. Put the phone away and any other form of electronics and just live in the moment.
Have fun with whatever college years you have left, and the summers are often pretty memorable if you plan it right. Use these quick tips as excuses to see your friends, and just have fun....on a budget of course.
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