Now that school is out and finals are behind you, it is time to finally kick back and relax. But that doesn’t mean to grab a bowl of chips, sit on the couch, and have a movie marathon every day. While that may be tempting summer is not a time to spend on the couch. No one likes a couch potato. Netflix may be tempting especially now that you have a lot of free time but that can wait.

It is easy to think you have all summer to do what you want to do but before you know it you will be packing your bags and heading back to school regretting all the things you didn’t get done because you spent too much on the couch.

I know I don’t want to look back on this summer with a what if feeling.

We’ve just spent months with our noses buried in books now is our time to live it up doing what we want to do and what better time to do that than summer?

Summer is the best time of the year, the weather is warm all the time, you spend all your time outside at the pool or the beach or the park. You have no excuse to hold yourself hostage inside.

Sometimes when I come back from school I find that I don’t know what it is I want to do that summer so I make a plan of things I want to do to help prevent myself from sitting on the couch all summer. I plan different outings with friends and days trips I can take. Sometimes it is as simple as just making plans with friends a week in advance so I know I have something planned and I won't be sitting around bored.

Keeping myself busy in the summer keeps me active which prevents me from staying inside.

It doesn’t help that when you are asked what you are going to do this summer most often you reply with, “sleep” half as a joke half knowing that you will be spending the better part of your summer in bed. Why do you let yourselves do that?

I know I’m guilty for spending some of my days in bed but I don’t know why I do it when I know I should be outside. I shouldn’t be spending my day sleeping; instead, I should be using it wisely and spending it outside.

Summer is about adventure and making the most of being home. So grab a pen and a piece a paper and make a list of the things you want to accomplish this summer because sitting on the couch can wait.