Make Your Own Jungle

Does your college apartment have a small balcony you can use as your outdoor space? If you have one with a nice view, you should consider using it as your main hangout spot.

One way to make this space look more appealing is to make your own jungle. Local garden shops will sell leafy plants and seeds for a great price. Overload your porch with shrubs and ferns to provide some shade and make you feel transported to a whole new place.

Get the Right Furniture

You won't have much fun outside if there isn't a place to sit, which is why your patio furniture is so important. It sets the tone for your porch and helps you make the most out of your outdoor living space.

Bigger thrift stores might have chairs you can repurpose to work as patio furniture or a small table you can use to set your mug of coffee on in the morning. Even if you only get a few chairs, it'll change how you look at your patio and make you and your friends more inclined to spend time outside.

Install a Screen

Apartments can be so affordable for college students because the apartment complex crammed as many units together as they could fit. That might mean the view from your patio is into another person's apartment.

Fix this by installing a lattice grill screen. If you get a sheet big enough, you can lean it up against the edge of your balcony without needing to use any tools. It'll provide you some privacy and even some shade.

Set up a Hammock

Colleges have become more lenient on where students can set up hammocks because they've become so popular. Students use them as quiet reading nooks or a nice place to take a nap between classes. During the summer, you can set up a hammock in the yard outside your apartment if you don't have a patio. Just look for a shady place between two trees and you're good to go.

Chances are good other students will do the same, so you'll have people to socialize with while you relax. You can even use the opportunity to make new friends by bringing a cooler with drinks and snacks. If everyone pitches in to buy a game like bean bag toss, you'll quickly make a new favorite spot to hang just outside your front door.

Get Creative With Crates

I'm guessing you're usually tight on spending money, so if you feel like you're limited because of your budget, you're not alone. You're also not out of options.

See if you can snag a couple of crates from a nearby business! If you drape a blanket over them and add a pillow, they make an urban chic place to sit. They're also a practical side table you can eventually use to tote goods when you move out. It's a win-win.

Use Bright Colors

It's a well-known design hack that adding a mirror to a room will make it feel bigger. Bright colors do that, too! They liven up any space, especially a patio. Splash your balcony with color by growing bright flowers or laying out a rug with a multicolored design.

Even if you spend an afternoon hanging out inside, you'll still have something beautiful to admire out your window. The colors could also find their way inside your apartment if you decorate your whole place with the same color scheme.

When summer finally arrives, everyone wants to get outside. Although the afternoons might reach really hot temperatures, it's still the best time of year to be able to do fun things.

People start exploring what's around town or even take vacations that focus on being outside. Outdoor activities are great, but most of them will make you spend time getting to and from them, or even pay to enjoy them. Why not use what you already have by making your outdoor space a fun place to hang out?