When school lets out and summer break begins, teens are left with no obligations (unless they of course have a job), so what happens as a result? They become a couch potato. If not, teens stick to their summer routine that occurs every year: go to work, go out with friends, watch a ton of Netflix, stay up til 2 AM, sleep in til 12 noon, and maybe even go on a little vacay. Instead of just sticking to the norm, why not switch it up a little?
Doing something different from your usual routine that can be both fun and productive (or just fun) is good for the teenage soul.
Without the stress of school, summer break supplies teens the opportunity to participate in new and different activities that can lead to new memories. Doing different things that you don’t usually do is a part of this memory-creating process. Through doing a variation of unique activities, teens get the chance to encounter and bond with others that they usually wouldn’t meet.
Here are 10 fun things that you, and your friends, can do to fill in all that time (or with the little amount of time you have, depending on your schedule) you have on your hands.
1) Get a job — Some might not view applying for a summer job as fun and exciting, but having one gives teens a sense of responsibility and independence . It also allows you, as a teen, to earn money to finance these new summer adventures, as well as make new friends.
2) Go to a music festival — What’s not to like about a place with tons of food, people, and music? Going to concerts and music festivals give you time to enjoy your friends, different foods and maybe even meet a special somebody.
3) Watch all your favorite Disney movie classics in one night — Who doesn’t like Disney’s animated classics?! Watching multiple Disney movies, while being on an intense sugar high, is the best. Just imagine singing along to all you favorite songs. Besides, there’s nothing like reliving your childhood.
4) Have a food and friend party — Having a food and friend party is the perfect opportunity to hang out with your friends. By telling your friends to bring their friends, you get to meet different people and ultimately (hopefully) start relationships with others. Not to mention, you get to eat a lots of food!
5) Reconnect with an old friend — There’s nothing like reaching out and connecting with a friend you haven’t seen, or talked to, in a while. Just spending some time together and really talking (about anything) can re-build the strong relationship you once had with this individual.
6) Work on your summer body — Don’t gain weight over the summer, lose it! Those morning jogs and afternoon protein shakes will pay off. It’s a good feeling when you’re in shape, don’t miss out out on it.
7) Take a midnight swim — Like swimming? Try it doing it at midnight! If you’ve never swam at midnight, then you definitely want too. Just being out under the stars, submerged in cool water during those warm summer nights, gives you a huge feeling of serenity and relaxation. It also gives you some time to think.
8) Take lots of photos — Taking photos of what you did during your summer is necessary! Yeah, you might have a good memory, but having a photo is much better because it takes you back to the moment you took the picture, and the reason why you captured it. At the end of summer, you can make a scrapbook or a photo wall to reminisce on the good times that will help you through the school year.
9) Get a Makeover — A makeover could be just the thing to lift your spirits. You may just find that you prefer the “new you” over what what you originally had going for you.
10) Volunteer — If you’re having a great summer, awesome, but don’t forget about those who are in greater need of help. During your summer, go out and help others. You’d be making an impact in somebody’s life if you did, no matter how small you think it is. I will say that volunteering is something that I think everyone should do because it’s a very humbling experience.
There are many more activities and groups you can be a part of. Those 10 activities are just some things that can help keep you busy and productive. As long as you’re not wasting your summer away, your free time is yours to spend. Just be sure that you do attempt to make new experiences and interact with different people, because you never know where life could take you after high school. It’s good to remember that new places do offer new opportunities. Don’t let them pass you by.
Summer is really good. Go to a music festival is the most exciting thing in the summer.