Every time summer rolls around, I feel excited to be free from my academic duties during the few months of vacation. This summer buzz is followed by wistful plans to travel, meet with everyone I know and make money. All while constantly taking photos with my beloved DSLR of the countless amazing places and events I go to (summer festivals, anyone?). These plans stimulate my adventurous passion for about...two weeks into my vacation. After that, I realize that what most likely will happen is that I'd continue to repeat my past summers of doing nothing but surfing the internet after I finished my work shifts in an endless cycle of sleep, eat, work, surf (the internet) and repeat.

But not today.

This summer I was determined not to let this cursed Summer Daze, as I like to call it, dominate. With my summer coming to a close, I'd like to share my progress and tips for those who also suffer from this serious condition.

1. Make a plan to get ONE thing done each day.

Too many times have I created endless lists of things I want to do. Unfortunately, this habit can make any task daunting as it is surrounded by the pressure of a hundred other things to do. Therefore, this summer I planned to get at least one thing done in a day, whether it was a couple hours of reading, going to the farmer's market or spending a day at the beach. This way I was able to continue a steady pace of completing my tasks rather than trying to avoid the stress of having to do many tasks in a day. After all, it's summer right?

2. Travel.

Now when I say travel, I don't necessarily mean taking a couple weeks off to fly to Hawaii. As a college student juggling with work and paying off loans, I do not have the luxury of time nor the resources for such a trip. However, I believe you can get the same effects of traveling in your backyard. I live in Southern California and have the advantages of many events occurring in the summer. I only recently found out the 626 Night Market, featuring hundreds of Asian foods and entertainments, that take place only an hour away from my home. This week, I'm actually going to a trampoline park (yes it exists) that is only five minutes away. Explore the summer activities in your local town or neighboring cities, you'll be surprised of all the cool events you can find.

3. Take up a skill or hobby you've been wanting to do.

I know I'm not alone when I say that there have been too many times when I wished I had a specialized skill like playing the guitar or a hobby such as surfing. The keys to succeed for such things are time, energy and consistency. It is definitely harder to begin learning and practicing these skills and hobbies during the school year. By spending a couple of hours each day or week during the summer, I can make these goals a reality. And, by practicing I'll be able to keep myself up to a level of discipline that would otherwise be absent from my summer. During the summer, there is an abundance of summer classes and organizations for this reason and for people like me, so do not hesitate to join a community soccer team or sign up for dance classes.

4. Spend time that is meaningful for you.

During the school year, I miss my family a lot and I feel regretful that I did not spend sufficient time with them in the summer. This summer, I attempted to spend time with each family member along with my best friends. Because summer vacation is over several months, it is easy to think you will have enough time to spend with people. However, before you know it, the summer is over. I spent time watching films with my adolescent sister, shopping with my mother, taking long walks with my father, exploring cities with my friends and spending too many hours gorging down food with my brothers. Though these times might seem like small moments spent, they are precious moments nonetheless, and moments I'll miss as I attend university 380 miles away.