It's time for summer, and you're thrilled...until you realize you have nothing to do. Check out some ideas that will keep you busy, encourage growth, and help you make this summer the very best one yet!

1. Unplug

While Instagram, texting, facetime, Facebook, and other social media sites all play a part in keeping in touch with our pals over summer break, they can very quickly become a huge waste of time. Don’t get me started on Netflix. At one point or another, we’ve all been on our phones or computers and looked at the clock...it’s an hour later or, if you’re watching Netflix, five hours later. All this time spent on a phone or computer will, without a doubt, make your summer boring. After all, while you’re stuck sitting on your couch, enviously looking at and liking all the pictures of your friends hiking in Colorado or at the beach in California, they are the ones actually having fun. A little bit of social media or Netflix every once and awhile never hurt anyone, but limiting the amount of time you spend in front of a screen will force you to find entertainment in other places. Write a letter to your friend. Go out for coffee and actually spend face to face time without having to glance at your phone.Be there when you're out with friends and not simply staring at a screen because that is what makes a summer to remember.

2. Get Outside

Leaving your house doesn’t have to be a huge commitment. It can be as simple as going to a park and playing ultimate Frisbee, or getting some friends to kick a soccer ball around. Go for a walk around your neighborhood. Find a friend and go for a hike. If you’ve never tried it, check out https://www.geocaching.com/play and go geocaching! Go camping over the weekend! Whether you are looking for an intense experience or just some fresh air, it's all outside waiting. The world is an amazing place with so many new places and experiences to discover; I can guarantee you will never regret the time you spend outside in the sunshine.

3. Take Up a New Hobby

“Remember the summer I learned to play guitar?” Taking up a new hobby is a great way to spend your summer. Having a break from school is one of the best feelings in the world, but it’s easy to become bored. By learning a new skill, you are challenging both your mental and physical capacities. Not only does taking up a new hobby give you something to work towards, but it also helps shape you into a better-rounded individual.

4. Cook or Bake

It’s no secret that the key to any man, woman, or child’s heart is often through their stomach. Take time this summer to practice your cooking and/or baking skills. Learn about different cooking techniques and tricks that make cooking all the more fun. Experiment with and tweak your recipes to fit your taste. Learn how to prepare healthy food that taste good and you actually look forward to eating. Of course, cookies are always acceptable; if you like baking desserts but don’t want to eat them all, it’s usually not hard to find willing volunteers to eat them.

5. Do Something for Someone Else

It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to make this your best summer yet. Maybe you always look back at previous summer breaks and think about how you worked too much and didn’t see your friends enough. Maybe you decided to not work one year and found yourself to be bored more often than the relaxing summer you had imagined. However, in wanting to make it the best summer to date, it’s easy to become focused on yourself. Take time to help out your neighbor down the street who recently had surgery. Make dinner for your parents. Write a letter and let someone know you’re thinking of them. It’s amazing how different a summer can be when spent caring for others instead of just yourself.