Everyone has their own opinions about summer break. Some may look forward to going on vacation or getting a very well needed break from school. However some may dread it because they have nothing to do and find it boring. Summer break is a great time to be productive, have fun, learn new skills and gain memories that will last a lifetime. Doing these things could make you start looking forward to it or love it even more than you already did. Sitting around all day doing nothing can make you feel tired for no reason and it’s a huge waste of time. You may even regret it in the future.
- Learn a new hobby
There are billions of hobbies out there and if you’ve been wanting to learn one, summer is the perfect time to do so. Learning a new hobby could help you discover your passion or it could help you find something relaxing to do when you’re stressed. It’s also both a productive and fun way to pass the time. To find the perfect hobby for you, first think about your main interests. Some of my interests are art, books, and being creative. Based on those interests I found hobbies that would best suit me. For example, I crochet, read, sculpt with air dry clay, paint, color and play decorating games like Animal Crossing. Here is a list of hobbies that could possibly be the perfect thing for you to try. Keep in mind that these are just examples. There are many more hobbies to choose from!
- Cooking or baking
- Drawing
- Macrame
- Gardening
- Writing
- Swimming
- Playing an instrument
- Hiking
- Puzzle solving
- Gaming
There are plenty of resources online to help you learn the new hobby you’re interested in. You can even learn multiple, the possibilities are endless.
- Help the community and gain volunteer hours
Volunteering over the summer can help the community and help you earn volunteer hours. There are many organizations that work to help children who can’t afford food, help people who are homeless and help people who struggle with having materials at home for school. These organizations rely heavily on volunteers to support their cause and keep their organization running. Volunteering can make a bigger difference than you may think and it can give you unique experiences that could potentially help with your future. You can also volunteer to do the things you enjoy, if you like reading you could volunteer at a local library. If you like teaching you could volunteer to tutor people. Some local volunteer opportunities you could try out to get started are creating mini-hygiene kits, gardening at Gabe Nesbitt Park, creating food packs for the homeless and cleaning historic homes at Chestnut Square. For more opportunities and details check out the Volunteer Mckinney website. Volunteering can make you feel satisfied and happy that you helped out your community, and that’s an amazing feeling.
- Work towards getting a driver’s permit or license
If getting a driver permit or license is something you’ve been interested in doing, summer break is the perfect opportunity to get that done. If you are not 16 yet, you can start working towards getting your permit online or in person. Once you have your permit you can practice driving in an empty parking lot or on a calm road with an adult to get more comfortable with driving. Getting practice is really important if you want to pass the drivers test on the first try. If you are 16 then you can start setting up a date to take your drivers test, but make sure you have had your permit for at least six months first or else you won’t be able to take it yet. If you aren’t interested in driving at all you try to convince your friends to give you a ride once they do get their license!
- Start learning things for your classes next year
Getting a head start on your core classes for next year will make your life so much easier and your future self will thank you for it. It will make your classes seem less intimidating and difficult. Some things you could help with getting ahead is using websites like Khan Academy and IXL. If you don’t want to use those you can even search up random YouTube videos teaching the subject you want to learn. Another option is getting workbooks so you can practice. This may sound very boring to most, so some ways to make it fun are going to the library with friends, studying outside with friends, going to museums and using apps to learn such as Duolingo or Quizlet. In addition there are plenty of websites out there to make studying more aesthetic. I recommend I Miss My Cafe and Virtual Cottage. Listening to music is also a great way to stay focused and have fun. You could listen to instrumental music, Mario Kart music, Minecraft music or just any study music you find on YouTube. Now you may be thinking that this is called summer break for a reason. It’s for a break from school. You’re right, make sure to not waste your entire break doing this. Summer is also about having fun doing the things you love! Have a good balance between work and relaxing. One way to do this is to have a designated time for work each day. You could study every morning or 10 minutes a day. Don’t get stressed about a school year that hasn’t even started yet. Trust me, you won’t regret this.
- Spend time outside
Spending time outside is a great way to get some Vitamin D and feel more energized. You can’t stay inside for the entire two months! No matter how badly you want to stay inside in the nice cool air conditioning, force yourself to go outside, it’ll be good for you. Some things you could do outside are go to a community pool, go to a waterpark, have a picnic or hangout with your friends at a park. You could even do the things you like to do inside, outside instead. For example if you like painting, reading or video games, all of those things can be done outside too. Before going outside remember to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and snacks to prevent getting dehydrated, severely tired and reduce the chances of fainting!
- Have a movie or TV show marathon
There are so many different movies and TV shows to try watching. If you’ve been wanting to watch a movie or TV show for a while but have never had the time, summer is the perfect opportunity. This is also a great way to spend time with friends or family. The first thing you have to do is get your favorite snacks. You could even make a little snack bar so if you invite people they have a variety to choose from. Second, make your space cozy. Gather all of the blankets, pillows and stuffed animals you have. Make sure you get cozy, too! Dress in your favorite comfy clothing. Third, know which movie’s or what TV show you’re gonna watch. Another thing you could do instead of having a marathon at your house is go to a movie theater. It’s a great option if you want to get out of the house. Some movies that are going to get released this summer are “Lilo and Stitch” (live action), “M3GAN 2.0”, “How to Train Your Dragon” (live action), “Elio”, “Ballerina”, “Karate Kid: Legends”, “Jurassic World Rebirth”, “The Bad Guys 2”, “Thunderbolts” and “F1”.
Rather than rotting in bed, making summer break productive and fun can make you feel better physically and mentally. When you are an adult, hopefully you look back at these summers with no regret and remember all the memories you made with your friends and family. We won’t have summer break forever so it’s important to not take it for granted. Using this list will help you have the best summer break this year and years to come. You can also do things that aren’t on the list. Don’t limit yourself! Let’s make this summer a memorable one!
