I don't know about you, but it's one month into summer and I'm already feeling kind of stagnant. I don't necessarily miss classes and homework, but I kind of miss the freedom of living on/near a college campus and being just a five-minute walk away from friends at any given moment.
If you're starting to feel that summer boredom—or if you're just looking for new ways to capitalize on summer free time—look no further. Here are a few ways to make the most of the summer months.
1. Find a new recipe and master it.
GiphyYou can make a personal dessert or dinner for the whole family—it's really up to you. I recommend finding a good smoothie recipe so you can kill two birds with one stone; you're escaping summer boredom and summer heat.
2. Use an online generator to randomly select a new Netflix show to binge.
GiphyEven if it doesn't look like your kind of thing, you may be surprised. New summer, new obsession, amirite?
3. Shoot your shot with a potential summer fling.
GiphyKeep seeing a cutie around town? Maybe you should make a move. There's never a dull moment with the right person.
4. Experiment with some new hairstyles/makeup looks.
GiphyA fun new 'do is sure to help you feel less bored. If nothing else, you can send dramatic, glamorous selfies to your friends to pass the time.
5. Do some summer cleaning.
GiphyIf you're miserably bored, you could always start tidying up—maybe even pack up some old childhood things you've been meaning to donate/sell/throw away for a while now. Better yet, why don't you finally unpack your clothes from the school year?
6. Download a new game on your phone.
GiphyThis sounds juvenile, but come on. No one has time for games when class is in session, but you might as well enjoy the nostalgia of redownloading Candy Crush now that you're free again.
7. Explore your hometown.
GiphyDon't normally hang out at the park or the local library? Maybe you've been missing out. Worst case scenario, you now have an opportunity to people-watch, which is always interesting.
8. Get a job, you lazy bum.
GiphyAlthough I guess your summer job might be the primary source of your boredom, huh?
9. Try some form of journaling.
GiphyI did a bullet journal planner for the entire 2018-2019 school year over the preceding summer, and it really kept me busy. You could also try a dream journal or just a thoughts journal—it could be refreshingly introspective to mull over your thoughts and experiences at the end of every day.
10. Do a thorough internship/career search.
GiphyIt might not be a very relaxing pastime, but it's definitely a productive one. If you have the mental capacity this summer, you might as well put some effort into planning for the years to come. Future you will be grateful.
11. Aimlessly walk around Target/Wal-Mart/Costco/etc.
GiphyPeople-watch or take advantage of summer sales. Or literally just look at stuff. IKEA is a great option, too.
12. Spend hours watching videos on TikTok.
GiphyLook, if you follow the right accounts it's literally just Vine 2.0. Do you really have anything better to do?
14. Clean out your closet.
GiphyWhether you sell your clothes or donate them, at least you'll have a refreshed wardrobe. It might be time for you to let go of that shirt you've had since 7th grade, pal.
15. Try your hand at a new creative pursuit.
GiphyDigital art, painting, poetry, novel-writing, songwriting, photography, dancing, singing, playing the clarinet—there are literally so many new things you could try in your free time. Who knows, you may have a hidden talent.
16. Spend some more time outside.
GiphySome people already do spend tons of time outdoors, but I've been wasting away in my bedroom for about a month now. You could go to the pool or even simply walk around your front yard to get some fresh air—just wear sunscreen either way because that summer sun is brutal. Also, if you can't afford a week-long beach getaway, maybe you could carpool with some friends for a day trip to the coast?
17. Read a new book (or, even better, a whole series).
GiphyCollege ruins the fun of reading for a lot of students (if high school hadn't done that already), but don't let it destroy your own enjoyment. You could tackle anything from a fun beach read (I'd recommend "Crazy Rich Asians"; the whole series is fantastic) to some high fantasy (I'm reading "Lord of the Rings" myself) to a romance novel (I can't name any, but I'm sure there are really good ones).
Whatever you decide to do, try to make the most of this summer. Soon most of us will be year-round workers with no free time and no souls. Not yet, though!
