Everyone loves summer break, but oftentimes, losing the structure of the school year can leave people aimless. This can lead to the summer being spent inside watching TV instead of taking advantage of the free time and warm weather. Going on vacation isn’t on the table for some people, and local activities can be hard to find. If you are at a loss for what to do this summer, here are some ideas.
Enjoy the outdoors
Something often overlooked is outdoor activity. Take a walk, ride a bike, go swimming or just hang out. Spending time outside and in nature is incredibly beneficial for mental and physical health, and is a great way to learn more about the area where you live. Walking around downtown Hudson can provide the health benefits of outdoor activity and has positive social effects. Hudson is also right next to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which offers miles of hiking trails and plenty of fun events.
Hang out with friends
This one is pretty obvious, but sometimes it can be easy to forget all of your options. Invite your friends to go out somewhere – a museum, restaurant, park, amusement park, store, etc. Keeping up social activity outside of school is fun and it’s a good way to maintain relationships over the break.
Volunteer
Spending your summer volunteering is a great way to benefit your community and those in need. It also offers a way to meet new, like-minded people and get the volunteer hours you need for school. Sites like VolunteerMatch and JustServe provide those who want volunteer opportunities with organizations looking for volunteers.
Do an internship
Similar to volunteering, interning provides experience and connections. Unlike volunteering, these connections are career-centered rather than personal, and the experience is meant to develop career skills. The connections that internships provide can be useful for getting into college and when looking for employment. Internships are less flexible than volunteering, but they are also more specialized and focused on skill-building in an area you care about. Paid internships are usually found in the private sector or large companies and organizations. Resources like LinkedIn, Glassdoor and many more provide ways to connect with organizations with open internship positions.
Make something
One of the most productive things you can do is create something such as food or a craft. Taking on a project that has a tangible result hones useful skills and provides an outlet for creative energy. It can also be a way to make some extra money if you choose to sell whatever it is you create.
Learn something new
Learning something new is a great way to fill up the free time that comes with summer. Maybe you have an academic area in which you want to expand your knowledge. Resources like YouTube, Khan Academy, online and physical textbooks and even Wikipedia are excellent and free ways to expand your academic horizons. If you are interested in picking up a new skill, in-person lessons are a very effective way of learning. Online, there are sites like SkillShare that allow you to learn from videos made by experts. For languages, there are countless apps like Duolingo and Babbel, as well as podcasts and videos that go more in-depth on language structures and grammar, as well as colloquialisms and informal conversation.
Teach something to someone else
If there is a subject in which you are already well-versed, a good way to develop an even better understanding is to teach someone else. Offer to teach friends or family members something like art, cooking, music or an educational topic. Teaching can also be a good way to make money if you become a tutor or instructor.
Movie marathon
One of the simplest ways to pass time is to grab some popcorn and a blanket and turn on a movie. Just pick a series or random selection of movies and watch. This is an activity that can be fun whether you are alone or with friends, and even if you have seen your choice of movies before.
Listen to new music
Listening to new music is a free, low-effort way to find some variety in the summer. Whether you try a new artist, genre, time period or language, new music improves open-mindedness and can introduce you to new communities that you would not have found otherwise. Spotify has streamlined the process of finding new music with its new discovery feeds that allow users to scroll and hear clips of songs. Though not as established as Spotify, sources like Radiooooo.com and Indie Shuffle are great for finding tracks and artists that Spotify might not highlight.
Make a bucket list
Once you figure out what you want to do, put it on a summer bucket list. A comprehensive list of your plans is a great way to keep track of everything you want to do and provides a place to write down other goals you set for the summer. A bucket list can give your summer more structure, helping you stay active and get the most out of your time off.
