Exams are finally over, you’ve moved out of your dorm, and you’ve said goodbye to your new college friends. After a painful week of adjusting fonts and margins to meet your English paper's 10-page requirement, using three full hours on an exam “created to take you an hour and a half,” and biting your lip as your parents look at your messy, unpacked dorm room in disappointment, you’re finally home.
You should be happy, right?
The first few days at home are always glorious— catching up on sleep, devouring home-cooked meals, and watching Netflix is a rejuvenating experience. However, as time goes on, your glory days start to expire as they grow more and more mundane. Many of your college friends start summer school soon, have super cool internships, or appear to be traveling across the globe while you sit in your house unpacking the last remnants of freshman year. Summer looks bleak, and you’re missing fraternity houses, your tiny dorm, and college life already.
If you're stuck at home this summer, have no fear. Here are eleven things to do while you're back in your home state.
Get a job, internship, or volunteer. If you do not have a job for the summer yet, it’s not too late. One of the perks of being home so early in the season is that you have time to find a job before anyone else. Ask your favorite coffee shop, clothing store, or restaurant if they’re hiring. If you’re not interested in being employed, find somewhere to volunteer. Every town has a summer camp, sports league, nonprofit, or food bank that needs help, and it looks great on a résumé.
Get moving! Go for walks and runs. Summer vacation is the perfect opportunity to get active and get in shape. Not only is the weather perfect for walking and running, but you can also swim, go to a spin class, do yoga, or go rollerblading. During the school year it's hard to find time to exercise, and maybe you want to lose an extra few pounds. Maybe you haven't been on a run since high school, and your old sneakers have been sitting in your room, mocking you. There is no better time than right now to get off the couch and go for a run. Running is a great way to relieve stress, pass time, do some sightseeing, and most importantly, keep yourself healthy.
Join a gym or exercise studio. If running isn't your thing, you can join a gym or go to exercise classes. If you’ve never been to a class or don't want to spend the money, most exercise facilities give you your first class for free.You can take your first class at a Pilates studio one day and another class at spin studio the next at no cost at all. If don't like it, you don't have to go back, so why not try it out? Regardless of the exercise you choose, it’s important to use this extra time to work on health and fitness— Especially if you've been avoiding the gym all year long!
Take advantage of non-dining hall food! You’re home for a while this summer, but it won't be long before you’re back at school eating bad sandwiches and poorly cooked chicken. Summer is a perfect time to go to your favorite restaurants or enjoy home-cooked meals. Take advantage of this by learning to cook on your own, spending time at grocery stores and farmers’ markets, or trying out new restaurants. When the school starts again in the fall, we all develop poor eating habits, so perhaps make an effort to eat healthier this summer too.
Catch up with old friends. You’ve been away from your friends for an entire semester, and you all most likely have many stories to share. Be sure to schedule coffee dates, grab lunch, hang out, go on road trips, and keep your group message active. Use this summer to spend time with the friends you don't get to see during the school year. Unlike friends from college, friends from home usually live pretty close by, so it’s easier to see them often. Take advantage!
Find an new hobby. It may sound cheesy, but... Summer is a great time to explore an activity that you have never had the time to do. A hobby is a personal outlet that allows you to do something just for you. Find something to do that you’ve always been interested in and make it a part of your everyday life. You don't need to go skydiving or cliff jumping in order to have a cool hobby, but do something that will make you happy and help you to forget about daily problems.
Venture to places you’ve never been to before. Even if your state is small, there are most likely places that you’ve never seen before. Make a list of the stores, concerts, restaurants, beaches, or cities that you have never been too and go see them. Make your adventures more enjoyable by bringing friends with you or going on a road trip.
Clean out your closet. So you grew out of some of your clothes this year— That’s OK; it happens to the best of us. You’ve also probably acquired 75 new t-shirts, multiple random costumes, or perhaps a few articles of clothing that belong to someone else.Take extra time to go through your closet, drawers, or possibly the suitcase you have yet to unpack, and make a pile of unwanted clothes or things that do not fit anymore. Not only will you be making room in your closet for new clothes, but you can also donate your old clothes to a local charity.
Read a good book. There’s never enough time during the school year for leisurely reading, so make your way to your local bookstore and buy a book. Reading is a great way to keep your brain active while you're not in school, and there’s no better activity for a rainy summer day or a day at the beach. Not only will reading give you something to do, but it also helps to reduce stress. If you’re not into books, grab a newspaper or magazine.
Visit college friends. If you’re still feeling bored and stuck at home, you can always visit your college friends. One of the great perks of going to college is meeting people from different states, so drive, take a train, or even fly to visit one of your friends. Not only will you be able to spend time with your friend, but you also will potentially be able to experience another part of the country that you’ve never seen before.
Catch up with family. Even if you see family during holidays or school vacations, they still miss you a lot during the school year. They are extremely excited to have you back home, so embrace the excitement! Catch up with your parents, reach out to extended family, and spend time with loved ones during the time that you have with them.
Being stuck at home for the summer may seem depressing, but there are so many activities that you can do to make the most of your time. Stay busy, happy, and healthy, but don't be afraid to take a day off too, because it won't be long before you’re hitting the books again next semester.
