Sixteen summer vacations. Maybe seventeen if you're on that five year college plan. That's usually all we get in our average 78-year lifespans. Nowadays those last four or five summers don't always bring the freedom of relaxation and no-stress that they used to. These are the summers where we have to get internships or part-time jobs or see the entire world in just ten weeks. Sometimes you just need a summer off. But how can you do that without feeling immensely guilty for not doing something productive in that crucial time? Well, here are some tips to stay on your toes (both figuratively and literally) during your guilt-free summer of chill:
1. Read a book...or thirty.
We never have time to read anymore. Granted, some of us don't have a problem with that -- but that's not good. Reading is a beautiful way to learn -- widen your knowledge and understanding. Whether it's a guilty pleasure fun read on the book or a more serious nonfiction report on the slums of the world, reading offers immense benefits to those who partake in it. It stimulates your brain, expands your vocabulary, and improves your memory, among many other things. So grab a book and fall asleep to the words on the page (or your Kindle screen) instead of the endless scroll of Facebook statuses.
2. Make some future plans.
Obviously this won't keep you entertained forever and it's no good to try coming up with new long-term plans and goals every other day or you'll just confuse yourself. But take a few days or weeks to think about what you want to do -- what long-term goals do you have and how can you take steps to achieve them? What should you be doing next semester or next summer when you're trying to be productive instead of taking a break? Look into different possibilities, reach out to potential connections in industries you're interested in and expand your network.
3. Start a research project.
This is probably the least exciting item on this list. But it could potentially be one of the most transformative. Think of a topic you're interested in and become a (self-proclaimed) master of that set of knowledge. Research and read about everything you can find on that subject so that if it ever came up in conversation or in class, you will already have a great deal of background knowledge on it. Better yet, go ahead and make this a full-fledged research project. Ask a question. Find a mentor if you want to. And go. Pursue every channel you can to answer that question. You'll get frustrated along the way for sure. But you'll be determined and you'll persevere. Hey, maybe even at the end of it you can turn that into a research paper for academic credit or grant money.
4. Challenge yourself -- physically and mentally.
This tip can branch off of the last one. Along with mentally challenging yourself to pursue a research question or a potential interest, try making that challenge something real and tangible. Set a goal. Maybe create a new fitness or diet plan and set a goal to complete this many workouts and try that many healthy meals in a week and track your progress. Or decide to read one article relating to your topic each day. Sure we all like to be a little lazy in the summer, the challenges don't have to be ridiculous, but just something to keep you motivated. Something to keep you stimulated so that when you're thrown back into school or work, you aren't completely off your game.
5. Have meaningful interactions and conversations.
Even if you're chilling at home or on campus, you're bound to have friends in the vicinity who are (or maybe aren't) doing something with their summers. Those friends eat or drink coffee or whatever it is you like to do when catching up with someone. Reach out to them. Schedule as many friend dates as you possibly can. And when you go on the friend dates, for the love of everything that is holy, put away your cellphone. For that one or two hours, be with your friend -- completely and whole-heartedly, with no distractions. Honestly, you don't need to keep checking the time (because that's rude) or your Instagram feed (because that's rude) or texting someone else (you guessed it: rude). The time will fly by and you will have had a significant interaction with your friend -- and that will only leave you better off.
