How to: Make the Most Out of Your Summer Vacation
“School’s out for summer! School’s out forever!” as the song of Alice Cooper goes. But what are you going to do now? The excitement of getting out of school can quickly turn into boredom and frustration about having nothing to do. Don’t let this happen to you. There’s a world of activity out there, so go on and seize each day! Here are tips on how to make the most out of your summer vacation.
Create a summer bucket list
You can never go wrong with a bucket list. List all of the things you want to do and look for ideas everywhere. Don’t be concerned with reality here, you can even write the silliest things that cross your mind, just concentrate on getting the ideas from your imagination to the page. This is the time to be creative and completely let go of your fears and limits. Go out there and find meaning in your goals.
Spend time with your family
Family always comes first. Summer is the perfect season to find quality time with your family. Go on trips, shop around, watch movies, exercise, eat, and pray together. Create memorable experiences and ignite that bond you have among you, for nothing can replace the time you spend with your family.
Spend time with your friends.
Spending time with your friends can help melt away the cares of the world, and leave you a better person all around. Go to the beach, feel the sand between your toes and the sea salt in your hair. You can also go shopping and have a spa and pamper day together. Take long walks in the park, particularly Lucena City’s Perez Park, or go biking and skateboarding. Have a slumber party and a movie marathon in your house, or if you seek adventure, go on a road trip. Get in a car or a van with your closest friends and drive as far away as possible, with no particular destination. A great deal of adventure awaits when you’re willing to go wherever the road takes you. If you’re the kind of person who is game for anything, you’ll learn that the experiences you share with your friends can be twice as exhilarating.
Have an alone time
Allow yourself to recharge. Carving out a little solitude can make a world of difference. So go ahead—give yourself a break. Relax in a hammock, lay in bed all day, rent a movie or two, eat your favorite snack and just enjoy your well-deserved alone time. Reboot your brain and unwind. It helps to improve concentration and increase productivity, discover yourself and find your own voice, and enhance the quality of your relationships with others. It’s also good to disconnect sometimes. Set aside some time each day to unplug from all the ways you connect with others. Turn off your cell phone, Turn off your Internet. Turn off your TV. Turn off all your other gadgets. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done when you’re not distracted.
Shopping
You’ve been working for hard so long, haven’t you? Well, there’s got to be some reward for that! Summer is the perfect time to give yourself the retail therapy you deserve. Go to the mall and reward yourself with a shopping spree, or if you’re a bargain hunter, you can hit your local thrift stores or ukay-ukay for incredible cheap finds! You’ll find a variety of unique imported and second-hand items there and even bargain for a better price.
DIY
Take out your out-of-date flared jeans and turn them into cool shorts. Cut out the sleeves of your old T-shirts and turn them into tank tops—perfect for the summer season! Redecorate your room from old newspapers and magazines, customize the furniture inside your house, remake your old wardrobe, or simply create something wonderful from scratch! Do-It-Yourself (DIY) crafts sure have a lot to offer this summer especially when sheer boredom strikes. You can borrow books from the library on how to make them, or use online resources. You don’t need to spend a lot on materials––look inside your house or at your local thrift stores to save money and be ready to Do-It-Yourself!
Be fit
Challenge yourself this summer by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Work out, eat healthy, hit your local gym, take yoga classes, join Zumba parties, walk or jog in the early hours of morning and maintain a balanced diet. You can also start trying organic vegetables and related products that’ll boost your diet. Summer’s the perfect start to live a healthy life!
Read books
Reading is a form of escapism. It feeds the mind, the imagination, and expands the boundaries of reality. Books are a great way to pass time, move you, help you learn, think, and see; they’re the ideal instruments for leisure. Hit your local library and borrow books that trigger your interest, or if you want to keep the books for yourself, you can buy them at your local bookstores and book sales.
Help with Household Chores
Household tasks are not that overwhelming. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to help out your parents once in a while. Being involved in household chores is one way you can learn. When you contribute to family life, it also helps you feel competent and responsible. Sharing housework can minimize stress and helps the family work better.
Get a summer job
Getting a summer job or internship is a great way to spend your summer for you can earn some extra money and gain great job skills and experience that you can leverage after graduation.
Set up your own business
It doesn’t have to be big; you can always start small. Set up a garage sale or an online shop. Start a blog or website. Do some babysitting or sell homemade goodies. These are pretty easy and recreational ideas within the area of your capacity. It’s all or nothing, so don’t be afraid to take risks.
Write
Pull out that old vintage typewriter, sit in front of the computer, obtain a pen and paper and get in the mood for writing. Writing is a relaxing pastime a powerful tool for letting things out. You can write whatever you want—thoughts, poems, songs, essays, articles, short stories, and maybe even novels. Think of the blank page as your canvas. Now fill it with words.
Clean your room out and redecorate.
Throw away and let go of things you don’t need anymore. Clear out your clutter for a fresh, clean start this summer. Browse magazines or look online for room decoration ideas, and once you get your creative juices flowing, perform a transformation and achieve that kind of room you’ve always wanted.
Listen to good music.
Soul, pop, rock, RnB, jazz, classical—you create your own playlist! Turn up your radio or hit the iTunes store and mp3 downloaders and relax to your favorite music. Music can be a great way to unwind and escape from the pressures of life these days. It lifts your spirits and can instantly put you in a good mood.
Make a scrapbook
Scrapbooking is a great way to preserve mementos. Pictures convey a thousand words, but not when they’re sitting in a box under your bed. Gather all your photos and memorabilia and lay them out in a scrapbook. Write something, especially dates and captions. It adds value to the photos used. Embellish and add fun colors to each page and make it look fun and exciting. After all, it’s supposed to capture the memories of a great time. Most importantly of all, use your imagination. Make it as thick and filled with memories as possible.
Go Local
You don’t have to hop on an airplane to have a great time. Take a day trip around your local area and check out things you take for granted. Join and get involved in free or low-cost events like fairs, carnivals, local festivals, or even educational opportunities. Explore the wonders of your city as if you’re a tourist in town. It’s worthwhile to come home each night after exploring something new all day.
Volunteer
There is nothing that will open your eyes to the world more than giving back to the community. There are many local projects you can become involved with over the summer. For instance, you could give your time to a soup kitchen or work at a homeless shelter. You can also mix your talents with the type of volunteer role you take. Fundraising for a charity and running a marathon are just some of the ways where you can use your talents to contribute to those who need it. The key is to really enjoy your time volunteering and gaining experience for your future endeavors.
Summer means longer days and a season where anything is possible. It holds a wide range of opportunities for anybody who seeks a little adventure or takes advantage of those bright sunny days and warm summer nights. We all need to experience all that this glorious season has to offer.
So what are you waiting for, Lucenahins? Go out there and make your summer legendary!
Good luck! 🙂
Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-the-Most-of-Your-Summer-Vacation-(for-Teens)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-shields/summer-vacation-ideas_b_3237928.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Bucket-List
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Why-You-Must-Have-Solitude-and-Time-For-Yourself
http://www.wikihow.com/Listen-to-Music
http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Scrapbook
http://andthenwesaved.com/tag/how-to-have-fun-without-spending-money/
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