When the middle of May rolls around, for many college students, this is a time filled with excitement and pure bliss! This means finals are over and schools out and summertime has officially begun! This can also be a sad time because your friends from school may live in faraway places, such as Canada or New York, in the summer and you will not get to see them for three months. So what is there to do in the summer when you don’t have an internship and all your friends live far away? Here are a few options for things to do when you are home for the summer with nothing to do:

1. Learn to Play an Instrument! I have always found the ukulele to be interesting. When I was in high school I asked for a ukulele for Christmas and here I am 4 years later and still cannot play a single chord! So this summer, since I have some free time, I am taking a few ukulele lessons to get started so that I can understand the basics and then go from there.
2. Take an Online Class! This does not sound like very fun options, I know, but in the long run you will be grateful you took the class(es) because taking summer classes can help you graduate early or if you switched degrees and now you are behind, they can help you catch up!
3. Get a Summer Job! This one is a tough one because not very many places are willing to hire someone who is only around for three months of the year. Some places to look into include: lifeguarding at a pool, babysitting/being a nanny, mowing lawns in your neighborhood, summer children camps or a really good option is to talk to your friends (if you have any that live back home) and family members about potential job opportunities! For example one of my best friends from home works as a server at a local restaurant and spoke with her boss and got me a job working there for the summer! It is always a good idea to utilize your friends and family because you never know what they could come up with!
4. Volunteering! I know some people may not find volunteering to be a whole lot of fun but it can really help out some people in your community and it always feels good giving back! Some great places to volunteer at are the humane society (animal shelter), local soup kitchens, a food pantry, etc! You do not have to spend your whole summer doing this but a few hours a week would be pretty cool!
5. Outdoor Activities! Hiking, bike riding, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, taking your hammock out and just enjoying the day are all outdoor ideas that are great to do to take advantage of a sunny summer! Another idea that I love is going to a fruit farm and picking out fresh fruit such as strawberries or blueberries! It is a day well spent and you are rewarded with some delicious treats!
6. Traveling! This would have to be my number one thing to do in the summer that tops everything else. Traveling is one of my favorite options because it always leads to an exciting new adventure. The beach is my top choice in the summer but traveling abroad is a really great option as well! You do not have to worry about going to class or working on homework, you just truly get to enjoy yourself and relax and forget all your worries when you travel during the summer.

Here are just a few ideas of things you can do during the summer when you have nothing to do and are extremely bored and friendless!