Co-written by: Nadine Haddad , Divya Joshi, Oneeka Kohli, Claire Lin , Maitri Patel and Angelica Santiago

Summer is usually a fun time for many where there is a lot of traveling, but I am sure many of you are not always traveling. Instead, you are home bored out of your mind, so here are 12 fun amazing activities to do when you are home for the summer!

1. Find a local carnival or festival.

The idea of a festival may be boring for some people but check out if there is a local one near you, for all you know you could be surprised. There might be some cool food, too! To all the people in Johns Creek click here to see what is happening near you!

2. Do a little gardening to fill up your day.

Doing a gardening project is a great way to fill up your day because they are always interesting, and it is fun to see what you can do to help your garden look pretty! In addition, you might just end up finding a summer job in your community.

3. Go out to your local park and have fun!

You’re never too old for the park, and it’s even more fun when you’re with friends! Go to your local playground and let your inner child free! Who knows? You might make a few new friends there too.

4. Find a hidden gem in your area and go hiking!

You never know what your town has to hide! Look for a couple of hiking areas that you can walk around. Most of these areas are owned by the government so you usually never have to pay a dime! Let your wanderlust truly take over.

5. Stay inside on a rainy day and create a bullet journal!

Have a seat, play some music and let your creativity flow! Creating a bullet journal is an ultimate way to let go of all the tension and fear that accumulated over the school year. Even better, you can work on your journal with a group of friends in an aesthetic coffee shop for yet another caffeine boost! Best of all, you’ll look back on these entries years later with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes.

6. Visit the High Museum of Arts on the second Sunday of each month for free admission!

Grab your camera and your friends and go on a photo shoot to one of the most artistic places in Atlanta! From intricate sculptures to European paintings to mind-boggling modern masterpieces, this is a perfect way to build your perfect summer portfolio and an amazing Instagram feed. It’s never too late to get started!

7. Fill up your day at the amusement park with your friends.

It’s always a wonderful time to visit an amusement park with a group of your closest friends! This is a great way to turn a bland, boring day into an extremely eventful one filled with countless amounts of thrills and memories that are guaranteed to be made. If you are concerned about the potentially long car ride, grab a deck of cards or a few board games and make the ride worth it!

8. Give you and your friends a new makeover for the day.

The act of doing a makeover can be just as fun as the result itself — so, have fun with it! Paint your nails, go bold with your fashion sense and throw some fancy makeup on! It is always exciting to see what may come out of such a spontaneous change in style. Prepare to be surprised, and expect the unexpected!

9. Participate in a blind book exchange with your friends.

A blind book exchange is a fun and easy way to expand your literary horizons. All you have to do is gather some friends, have them wrap up their favorite books and exchange them randomly!

If you want, you can add some “tags” to the wrapping by simply writing keywords like “mystery” or “rom-com” to give the reader a hint of what they’re getting. This way, you and your friends can find a new adventure to leaf through and can look into other genres that you might have ignored before.

Plus, you already know that your friends have enjoyed the book, so you can rest easy knowing it’s an interesting read. The best part is that it’s 100 percent free! You and your friends don’t have to buy any new books because you’re just borrowing them from each other. Give this activity a try this summer to have some mind-blowing literary experiences!

10. Complete a cooking challenge based on your favorite Food Network show.

Everyone has that moment when they yell at the TV while watching literally any cooking competition show on Food Network: “No, idiot! Don’t slice the Wagyu beef before you roast it; it won’t stay crispy in the honey-garlic sauce!” Then, immediately after, we think of what we would do when faced with that challenge and itch to recreate a dish or attempt a certain challenge.

So why not do it?

Last summer, my sister and I had a series of Cutthroat Kitchen challenges (which I won with my made-from-scratch french fries) and it was so enjoyable! It doesn’t even matter whether or not you’re good at cooking; you can learn while doing it.

Plus, it’s free again (unless you actually want to buy beluga caviar, wagyu beef or black truffle); all you have to do is open your refrigerator and pantry and utilize whatever is in there to the best of your ability. My sister and I had our uncle do a blind judging for our competition, so this experience is absolutely recreatable. It’s a huge bonus that “participating” in Food Network cooking challenges will help sharpen your cooking skills and not just entertain you.

11. Do some exercise to keep you busy when you have free time.

Nothing can replace the relief that exercise can bring, it keeps you busy while also relieving stress. The best part is that you can do a mix of whatever you want, whether that’s dancing, running or some strength training. It really depends on what you feel like doing, and that’s what makes it fun.

You can also plan to go to the gym or park with your friends and maybe invite a competitive or collaborative spirit depending on how you guys are. There’s also the fun of making a workout playlist, which I find to be the best part of my exercise that keeps me motivated. It also gives you an excuse to use the equipment your family buys but never uses.

12. Invite some friends over for a game or movie night.

Tired of playing video games or watching movies alone? Invite some of your friends over and marathon a series of movies or play video games together for hours on end. It’s a good time to catch up with friends you wouldn’t see otherwise and maybe break those friendships through racing or party games. All in good fun of course. You can also geek out with your friends over that franchise you all love and craft theories together late into the night.