Summer is the best and worst of times. Let’s be real–we’re not on the beach every single day (as everyone besides me would like to be), we’re not partying under the stars at bonfires every weekend and we’re not having crazy road trips biweekly with our best friends. Maybe you are and if you are I am admittedly jealous.
Most of our summer is spent on summer jobs or internships and then there’s downtime for the occasional hanging out with friends or mostly watching Netflix and browsing the Internet for hours on end.
Instead of watching that tenth episode in a row of Parks & Rec (love that show!), why not try some of these slightly more productive ideas?
1- DIY something. Instead of pinning a million things on Pinterest (guilty!) why not try actually doing some of the projects? Turn a t-shirt into a crop top or make a fabric-covered cork board or something. But be sure not to get caught up in the Pinterest vortex. Pick a project and do it.
These are some of my homemade cupcakes with homemade frosting! I was so proud of my piping skills!
2- Cook something. Again, use those Pinterest recipes or dust off some cookbooks. Delicious food is always fantastic but being able to say that you made it? Perfection. If you’re feeling extra bored and daring, why not try cupcakes? They’re my favorite time-consuming thing to bake!
3- Exercise! Make an upbeat playlist and go for a run. Well, maybe a walk. Go for a walk! Maybe do some yoga or something (I’m not personally a fan of yoga—relax?!?! HOW DO YOU RELAX?!). Even if it’s just doing a Blogilates workout or some squats, it’s still something.
4- Update your LinkedIn/Resume. This is probably sort of boring but you’ll thank yourself when you’re trying to get an internship or job. At least it’s more productive (though less interesting) than scrolling on Tumblr.
5- Find Local Events. The other day, while in New Jersey, my friends and I randomly stumbled upon Riverfest—a free music festival. There are probably so many cool events (and free ones!) happening around your town or the next town over. Find them! Festivals, fairs, carnivals, flea markets…there are so many cool things to go to! Try Googling your town name and “free events”!
Those are just some ideas! Personally I’ve been spending most of my free time seeing friends I didn’t see during the year and writing blog posts. I’m also incredibly thankful for my internship that helps me fill three out of seven days of the week. Too much free time kills me!
What’s your favorite thing to do during the summer?
