It is getting to be that time again. The days are just a little shorter. The nights a bit colder. You can feel it in the air as you desperately try to soak in some last-minute rays. Winter is coming--just kidding! Luckily we have at least a month left of warm weather, but it is really bittersweet to say that school is right around the corner and we will soon have to say goodbye to our beloved summer. However, there are still a few weeks before August 31 that we can fill with last-minute warm-weather adventures!

1. Enjoy some "You" time.

It is important that you spend some time with yourself before you become consumed with moving in, classes and whatever activities you are involved with at school. Your mental health and general state of mind are crucial for how well you will succeed in the upcoming year; so it is important that you spend some time relaxing and learning to wind down. You could do this by going on walks with just you and your new favorite playlist, going to your favorite coffee shop and settling down with that new novel you have had your eye on for weeks, or maybe just having a relaxing night in with that Netflix show you are currently hooked on. No matter how you decide to do it, mellowing out before all of the craziness will help you in the long run.

2. Get crafty.

Summertime is always a golden opportunity to explore your passions and enhance your creativity. If you have not had the chance yet to express yourself in these ways it is not too late. If you are a photographer, go out and capture the life around you. If you are a painter, be spontaneous with Snapchat art. If you are a singer try karaoke (or just rock out with a hairbrush microphone)...or try something new! For instance, you could pick out different DIY projects from Pinterest to do with friends--but anything you choose will do! Do not be afraid to go crazy, this is the time to do it. Whatever is on your mind, just let it loose and create!

3. Go out of your comfort zone.

Time to get out of your box! You have probably established a summer routine but now it is time to mix it up. Instead of waking up late and just lounging around for most of the morning, try getting up earlier and watching the sunrise while listening to music that has nothing but good vibes. Try to switch everything up--new food, new attitude, new environment, new friends and a new outlook. Too often we are dragged down by the same mundane things and feel trapped in this repetitious cycle. With school fast approaching, we want to go in with a positive and excited attitude--and if we are stuck with these weird vibes and bad energy it is just going to be a mess!

4. Try restaurant-hopping.

Food is almost always the key to the heart, and most definitely to the stomach. It seems as if summertime is the prime time for fresh fruits, vegetables and homemade cuisine, straight from Mom's kitchen. Unfortunately for us, this luxury has a time limit. So, to broaden horizons, it is time to start looking for new venues. Restaurant-hopping is a fun way to go out with friends or family and try new and unique dishes. Especially in Grand Rapids, downtown is an exceptional place filled to the brim with top-notch restaurants such as Hopcat, Sundance Bar and Grille, XO Sushi, The Bob, Bull's Head and last but not least San Chez. The tapas at San Chez are to die for! Go forth and eat until you've gained five pounds (at least). Don't worry, you'll lose it. Eventually.

5. Explore and make memories.

Do you ever feel like just running away? You're filled with this excitement for life and you want to make your place in the world. It's so hard to just stay still and not go out and see the world for what it truly is. Stop holding back. Many people in our generation are filled with this endless wanderlust and drive to find ourselves out there in the world. Stop hesitating and just go do it. Go out and explore, just go on endless adventures and photograph everything until it is burned into your memory. This is your youth, and as cliche as the expression of YOLO is, it is true in the fact that we only have our youth once. It may seem like a short span of time until school starts, but you have this time to do everything that you have only ever done in your dreams.

6. Don't be afraid to get dirty.

Regardless of whether you are an indoor or outdoor person, summer is a season to let your hair down. It is a season of fishing, mudding, hiking, kayaking, hammocking, swimming, tanning, etc. It is also filled with training and preparation for sports. Sweat, mud, and mosquito spray--yum!!! Summer is truly one of the best seasons, mainly because of all the unique activities you can be a part of but also thanks to the freedom you are given to do pretty much anything you could possibly desire. Thankfully, most of these are relatively inexpensive things, so it is perfect for a college budget (which we know is basically nonexistent).

7. Exercise.

Talk about a perfect one-on-one activity. It can be so cathartic to just go to the gym and sweat all your frustrations and anxiety away. Even better, get a gym buddy and have that extra incentive to work hard--that way you can push even harder. Seeing the change in your attitude and body that comes from exercise is such a reward. Even just going out for a walk and enjoying the outdoors can be such a benefit for your physical and mental health; which is essential for happiness and a good fresh start for the oncoming year.

8. Just go out and drive.

Sometimes the little things make the best memories. If you're ever feeling frustrated and like you need an escape, just go out and drive. Somewhere, anywhere--it seriously does not matter as long as you are out and about. This gives you a sense of freedom and the chance to be yourself. Feel like going to Taco Bell for a Cheesy Potato burrito? Go for it! Want to go to Craig's Cruisers and drive go-carts? Do it! Yearning for a chance to go to Grand Haven for the day? You know what to do. There is so much life out there when you just go and drive.

9. Spend some quality time with your family.

It is sad to say, but there is a time limit before we head back to Grand Valley or wherever else we may go. There are only so many more adventures we can go on. But make sure before that deadline is reached that you are able to be with your family. Family is so important; it is everything. They are the ones who have your back in times of crisis, they are the ones who have supported you ever since you were small, and they are the ones you call when you feel lost and confused. Let me be frank: once school starts, it is going to be next to impossible to see your loved ones. So, it is important to use the few remaining weeks to spend as much time with them as possible.

10. Get hype.

School is almost here! We are so close to being with our friends again, moving back to Allendale, or wherever we will call home for the next nine months, and getting ready for those Friday nights. Summer has been exciting and fun, but if you're like me, you've been antsy to get back to school for weeks now. New classes, adventures and lifelong friends: college is the time of our lives and it is about time to be heading back! GVSU we miss you!