Well, the Fourth of July has passed and now you suddenly realize that summer is practically over, and you didn’t do half of the epic fun things you thought you were going to do. For many of us, summer vacation is anything but a “vacation”. Between the hustle of internships and seasonal jobs, we’ve forgotten to have a little fun too. But it’s not too late! With only a few more weeks left of summer vacation, here are five more ways you can take advantage of the rest of what summer has to offer.
1. Road Trip!
It’s never too late to take another road trip. A road trip doesn’t mean a long cross-country drive either. A lot of college kids swore up and down that they were going to the beach and haven't been yet. Looking for a quick get away? Pile a few good friends in the car and head to the nearest beach for a fun and relaxing day.
2. Have friends over to chill
You haven’t seen any of your old home friends since you’ve been back in your hometown, so to make good on all those “We’re definitely going to hang this summer" texts, invite over a few good friends who you don't see often. Add good music and even better food, and you’ll be sure to have a cool time.
3. Explore a new place to eat
This is one of the few things I told myself I was going to do when I came home, and still plan on doing! Get out of your dining comfort zone and research some different restaurants in your city. Be that Asian, Indian, or Mexican cuisine—experience something different so you’ll be able to talk and rave about that dish you never knew existed later. You’ll be surprised by the treasures that have been literally five miles or fewer from you all this time. I bet you’ll find a gem of a place and be glad you did by the time the check comes.
4. Go to a festival
Every year in my hometown, we hold four annual celebrations: the African American festival, Artscape, the Stone Soul picnic and HonFest, which are all outdoor festivals filled with loud music, great food, and lots of cool vendors selling a plethora of goodies. Find out if your hometown or surrounding area is hosting a similar event and plan to spend the day having fun enjoying all the things that make your city unique.
5. Take a Yoga class
As Janelle Monaé would say, “Let yo' booty do that yoga.” Yes, yoga! Yoga is a great way to stay fit, happy and healthy. Passionate yoga practitioners note that yoga is helpful in aiding one in becoming more mentally, physically and spiritually rejuvenated. And with it almost being time to head back to school, we could use the extra time to prepare ourselves for a kick ass school year. Because once we get back, it’s back to business. Don’t have money for a class? Find a nice quiet spot and research some yoga poses for beginners to get started.
