For students that live on-campus, heading home for the summer can be a big change. While it'll be nice to have a break from late-night paper writing and long internship hours, it can be hard to think about leaving behind the place and people that you've grown to love. Here are eleven tips to make summer vacation a little bit easier.
1. Reunite with high school friends.
Those years of 6 hour days and lockers can seem so far away, but your high school friends are probably just as bored as you are. It can be great to catch up and share stories from this new chapter of your lives.
2. Get a summer job.
Cures your boredom, gives you money. Win-win.
3. Take summer classes online or at a community college.
Living on campus can be expensive, too expensive to do during the summer, but if you're bored, you can always get ahead on your general education classes online or at a local community college.
4. Plan weekly Skype dates with your friends.
You can stream a movie online, bake the same cookie recipe, or just talk for hours. It won't be the same as seeing them in person, but it's so much better than text messages.
5. Pick out gifts to give your friends when you return to school.
Plan a pre-semester gift exchange of unique items from your hometown. It's the perfect excuse to remind yourself of things your friends would like while enjoying your hometown in a different way.
6. Get closer with your family.
Some of those things you do with your friends- shopping, movie dates, grabbing coffee- can be just as fun when you do them with your family. And even though they try not to say it too often, they do miss spending time with you.
7. Travel.
Whether with friends or family, traveling is a cultural and educational experience that is sure to pass the time and create memories. Even if it seems too out of budget, consider taking a Megabus and staying at a hostel or Airbnb. There is almost always a way to travel economically on a student budget.
8. Redecorate your high school bedroom.
Take down those posters of bands that have broken up and photos of people you haven't spoken to in years. Put up college mementos and the stupid insta-print selfies you took with your friends at school. Even though you're only spending a few months at home, you're more likely to enjoy your time there if your room is a reflection of who you are now, not who you were in high school.
9. Prepare for next year.
Apply for scholarships, buy textbooks, plan a study abroad. You'll be a lot less stressed about college when you get there if you already have an outline of how you want to spend your year.
10. Plan a road trip to visit your friends.
Out-of-state friends are an excuse to see parts of the country you haven't seen yet. A road trip is an inexpensive way to see hidden landmarks and, if you have your friends' permission, you'll always have a place to stay.
11. Enjoy the time that you have left.
Go shopping with your roommate when she asks, even if you're tired. Study with a classmate you've been wanting to get closer with. When you don't have much time left with your friends, the little moments mean more.
