If you're like me, you only have 1-2 weeks max before your summer gets extremely busy with other things. Whether it be internships, classes, fellowships, work, volunteering, or anything else, you've lost most of your free time. I am extremely grateful to have an internship this summer, but that means I have only one week to fit everything into my summer. And so of course, I'm making the most out of it.

But how do you do this? I could be slouching on the couch, sad about how little I'll see my family and friends, but instead, I am up every morning (yes, 11 A.M. is still technically morning for some of us), shower, and then start my day of activities. Sleep is important to me, so sleeping in the first couple of days to refresh helps prepare me for the rest of the summer. Then, I call my mom and ask if she needs anything done. If you're going to be home, keeping your family happy is key. Then, I go and see all of the important people in my life who are home. For me, this means spending the day with family, but for others, it could be friends, significant others, etc. I also make sure to sneak in my favorite local restaurants into the dinner mix for the week. So if I'm going to be away again, at least my favorite foods were eaten first. Or I ask my mom to make some of my favorite dishes that week. I also make sure to do all of the regular summer activities I would usually spread out. Shopping, grilling, going out for drinks, that kind of stuff. One activity a day to hold me over. At night, I binge watch all of the Netflix shows I've been saving up so I won't be distracted later. For you, this time might be spent reading a book or working on a project you've been wanting to do. And each day, do it over again for 7 days.

Being home for a short amount of time does not have to put a damper on your summer plans. As long as you plan and organize everything you love accordingly, you can fit it into your time frame and still have an amazing summer break. Even if it's just for a week or two.