That period of downtime after school lets out and before you have to endure whatever responsibilities your summer may bring—internships, jobs, study abroad, etc.—gives you some opportunities to take a beat and revel in the satisfaction of having nothing to do. How people use this time varies depending on each individual, but I find a common theme and something that I believe to be very important during this time is simply getting back to basics.
The way I describe college to people is that it's an alternate universe, which it arguably is. It is a bubble, essentially its own planet, of just college kids. Again, while responsibilities vary, the ones you have are very minimal: going to class, maybe balancing school and a job … But nothing you do will ultimately make a company go bankrupt or crash the stock market. Your weekends (if you haven't already been going out multiple times during the week) involve an unbelievable amount of reckless activities you'd never tell your parents about or they'd probably stop paying your Greek life dues, if not your whole tuition.
When you get to return to your hometown after the school year comes to a close, you are inevitably reminded of many things you forget in college. Families exist, which means you have to watch your language and be cautious of how you present yourself outside of your home at all times to avoid getting judged by adults and utterly scarring children. You will also get annoyed with your parents being in your business and bossing you around as if you haven't survived completely fine whilst doing irresponsible things daily for nine months. You'll get bored … quickly. High school hasn't ended for everybody, it will probably take less than a week for you to start planning out weekends to meet up with your friends back at school … the list really goes on and on.
So, what to do we do to cope with all these realizations and this lull period of early summer? We focus more on the things we often take for granted. For instance, a great way to start summer off on the right foot is by taking care of our health. Eating healthier is easier at home purely based on accessibility. With your parents grocery shopping regularly, there is typically more fresh, healthy food around the house, making healthy eating a more seamless transition rather than something you have to kick-start. Going along with being healthier, this lull period also allows you to create your own exercise schedule since you no longer have to configure it around your classes. Starting off summer on this note can only help you continue to adapt to this routine and adjust to your summer work schedule if need be.
Another "basic" that's smart to get back to is reading a book. We don't get much downtime at school, oddly enough, and when we do, we're studying, going out or getting food. And since there's always someone around, it's easy to get distracted. Now that you have some time to catch your breath, if you can get an opportunity to turn off whatever devices you typically use for even just an hour a day and sit down with a book instead, you can really benefit. It is also easy in this time period to just become a lazy vegetable, (or couch potato, but we're in that healthy mindset), and Netflix-binge until work starts the next day. Reading a book, even if you're plopped on the couch, at least exercises your brain.
My favorite and most valued basic to get back to is just enjoying the summer weather. In the early summer, where it still is transitioning before it gets to those too-hot days in July and August, you can spend more time outside. Take advantage of your favorite outdoor spots, like the beach or the lake, even the dog park (your dog will thank you). I know relaxing all day in bed is tempting, but you've got all winter for that.
Enjoy getting back to basics before the heat (literally and figuratively) of summer kicks in.
