Summertime in the city is a little different than the beach, but it doesn't mean that it's still not perfectly enjoyable. Whether you're taking a class in the summer, working endless hours, or being a superstar and doing both.. you deserve time for yourself. Down time is much needed when you're overwhelmed with work. Noted below, here are a few ways to spend your time (some involve being in the scorching heat, but hey it's all worth it)
1. Learn an instrument / Sing a cover of that song you play endlessly on repeat.
There's nothing more powerful than learning how to play your favorite song. It's for you. Learning an instrument is hard, but that's where persistence comes in to play. You begin to learn more about yourself as you strum that chord on the guitar or you learn how to play that sonatina fluently on the piano.
Also, check out covers of your favorite songs and see how creative everyone gets. There's a video where the artist uses a pencil to tap to the beat rather than using a drum. There's Acapella groups to learn from also. You don't need to know how to play an instrument to successful cover your desired song.
Check out this video of Penn Counterparts and watch how powerful their voices are. Knowing someone in this group at UPenn allowed for me to share this video with others and to say the least, everyone was amazed at the pure talent shown here.
2. 2. Create a workout routine
It doesn't have to be spending hours at the gym. In fact, it doesn't even have to be at the gym. It can be for a run around the park, free yoga, barre class, cycling, squatting in your kitchen... as long as you get your body moving, it will thank you later.
3. Try cuisines you would have never thought to try
Next time you decide to go out, search for foods you never expected to try. There is so much out there and if we are stuck in our habits, we never get to experience other cultures.
Look up food list challenge: 100 foods to try before you die. (There's tons of discounts at these places as well so your taste buds can be rich without your wallet suffering for it).
4. Learn how to cook
As Gordon Ramsey says, there are five dishes everyone must know how to cook. A great burger, a really good breakfast, a braising dish, a chicken dish, and of course, an amazing cake. Spend time to learn how to make your favorite home cooked meal.
5. Photograph for you. Not for Instagram. Not for Snapchat.
Take time to go on a hike and take pictures of what amazes you. In a way, there is beauty in losing signal because you realize that these pictures are for your future self to look back on.
6. Turn off your phone for a couple of hours.
Take the time to focus on you and what's around you. You've heard it all before. How our phone's are preventing us from appreciating what's in front of us. Turn it off for the afternoon and read an article, grab a book, walk around without any interruptions.
7. Learn how to dance
Whether it's memories from drill team or a new routine that you came across on the Internet, learn it for you. It doesn't have to be perfect. In fact, that's the best part about dancing - there isn't just one way to do it. Dance your heart out because look how cute this kiddo is!!
8. Surround yourself with people who make you a better version of yourself.
Learn who is there to better you as an individual. It's not who is there the longest, but who is there to speak up for you, who is there to encourage you as times get tough, who is understanding through it all. We all grow on our own time and with that, it's okay to grow from people who were once a big part of your life. That's the beauty of it all, everyone has something important to teach us whether we realize it or not.
9. Give back
Go volunteer around your community. It's never too late to offer your open heart to those in need. Go volunteer at a local school, at a hospital, at a shelter, at a children's camp. These experiences teach you lessons that can't be bought. They're priceless and I promise you they are oh-so worth it. This superstar Ty learned how to ride a bike in a week's time and his radiant smile was something that got us through the week.
10. Write it all down
Remember when you were eight years old and your crush ended up chasing another girl on the playground? That was the moment of ultimate heartbreak for us elementary kids. Remember when you wrote it all down and somehow a couple of years later, you looked back on it and smiled. Do it again. Write down how you feel. If you're angry or happy or sad, write it out. Don't take it out on other people, but rather let it out on paper. Look back on it a few years from now and realize how great it was to not worry about whatever you're worrying about now.
Take this summer to spend time for YOU. You deserve a day off and here are 10 simple ways to do something that will help you grow during your formative and hopefully transformative years.
