Summer is the best time of year. No questions. Some would say that Christmas or Thanksgiving is the best time, but the hands-down winner is definitely Summer. Summer is the time that everyone looks forward to, and yes, it gets really hot (especially down here in Georgia), but it’s still amazing. There’s so much more spontaneity during the summer, and it always feels like there’s an amazing time to be had. But even with all the great things that summer brings, we all know that it can get a little boring. Like when all your friends are on vacation or working and you’ve got nothing to do, or it’s too hot to be outside and you don’t live close to the beach and none of your friends have pools. So I’ve compiled a list of fun things to do when you’ve got nothing to do.

1. Bake something from scratch

Let’s be real. Most of us millennials aren’t that into cooking. And I’ll be the first to admit that I think it’s the worst. But when it’s hot as heck outside and you’ve got a sweet tooth it can be pretty fun to whip something up. (Pro tip: skip the nuts in the cookies, and also trade out the brown sugar for sucanat. It makes them 100 times better, I promise.)

2. Do a DIY project

I made this shirt from a men's button down I purchased at Goodwill. I got the idea from Pinterest. Pinterest is full of really cool and really creative DIY projects. Most of them are with stuff we all have just laying around the house. I’ve already done three myself. (Yes, it has been a very slow summer for me.)

3. Go for a drive

This one is really good for any time of year. Nothing is more calming than turning your music up loud and driving with nowhere to go. You can clear your head and probably have a lot of deep thoughts. Go down all those back roads you’ve always seen but never really known where they lead to.

4. Go through your old stuff

If you’re anything like me then you have way too much of your old junk in boxes under your bed. And while some of it really is old junk, looking back through some of your old stuff can be a really cool experience. Seeing your old drawings or things you wrote (for me it’s my very dramatic diary entries) or things people have made for you over the years is a really sweet, nostalgic thing to do.

5. Get rid of your old stuff

Not all of it, of course. Because, like I just stated, it’s really sweet to see your old things, but let’s be honest, some of it is just junk. And some of it is completely unidentifiable. Take some time to go through it all and make room for new memories.

6. Do something you’ve always wanted to do

Whether it’s learning an instrument, learning a new language, writing that book, or doing yoga, summer is the perfect time to get a head start on it! And since you’re really not busy you don’t have any excuses not to.

7. Visit your local shops

Summer is the perfect time to do some exploring in your own city. Visit all those small local shops you always pass by but never really go into. They usually have really unique stuff, and it’s always great to support local businesses.

Now, I know there are a million other things you could do during the summer that I haven’t mentioned, but these are a couple of my ideas. Have fun with it, and have a great summer!