The summer is upon us, my friends. Most of us college students have finished our finals, or walked the stage by now and I know after that last semester we are beyond ready to put down the books and enjoy the summer we so well deserve. But maybe you’re like me, maybe you moved back home for the summer. Maybe you haven’t stayed home for a summer in about five years. Maybe you have NO idea what to do with yourself. Some of you are freshmen just moving out of the dorm for the summer, some of you are graduated and moving home for the summer to save some money before you get your own place. No matter who you are or why you are home for the summer, you deserve a good one. There is no need to dread spending the summer back in your hometown. Your summer back home is only as good as you’ll allow it to be and only as bad as you let it be. You might be surprised at the possibilities of a good summer. Come up with something to do and live it up this summer!
Don’t just sit around. You don’t need to coop yourself up in your room with snacks and movies. Go out and have fun. It is okay to watch Netflix (duh) but save it for bed time, watch an episode before you lay down to sleep. Save the binge watching for rainy days. The sun is out so you should be, too.
Meet up with your old friends. It’s also important to keep an open mind about new friends. Maybe some of those kids from high school grew up, just like you did. Maybe now they aren’t as bad as you perceived before. Catch up, share stories and create new ones together. It might be a little different, but it’s still good. Maybe there’s some kids from your hometown that you never took the opportunity to know, if you see them out say hey. You will be surprised by the kids you never took the chance to know. There’s no need to hind behind the Wal-mart display when you see someone from high school. Don’t be stand-offish, relax and be friendly, you might realize the people you went to high school with, probably feel the same as you.
Don’t forget your family. Make sure to spend a good amount of time with the family as well. Yeah sometimes they will ask you to run errands or do chores but it’s good to spend time with them while you’re home. Especially for those like me who were gone so long. They are probably ecstatic to have their baby back with them at the house. So be sure to spend quality family time, as well.
You don’t have to dread going home for the summer. You have your family there, so eager to spend the time with you. You have your old friends who miss you just as much as you miss them. And you have a lot of other people in your hometown who you should realize are a lot like you. There’s no sense in making a perfectly good summer a bad one. I hope everyone who moved home for the summer will loosen up and take my advice. HAGS, all of you. ;)