Summertime is officially here! Everyone is done with school and spending lots of time hanging with friends, tanning, and catching up on some much needed sleep. As great as the relaxation is, you can start getting bored after weeks of…well… nothing. So before you go completely stir crazy, here are a few ideas for how to make your summer more interesting.
One option is to volunteer someplace every week. Try volunteering at a hospital, an animal shelter, a nursing home, a soup kitchen or basically any place that interests you. You could even get a couple friends to volunteer with you so you’re having fun and helping other people at the same time.
Another idea is to write a book list and try to read every book on it by the end of the summer. How about including in your list the latest books by your favorite authors, some classic literature or books on a subject that you’re interested in? It gives you something to talk about with your friends or something to do while you’re lounging at the beach. You might not be able to go that far from home this summer, but by reading book you can go anywhere you choose to go.
One of the most popular activities for most teens during the summer is finding a summer job. You could work at an ice cream shop, a grocery store, your favorite clothing store, or even at your local library. However, if you’re not really old enough to get a job outside of the house or if you just love kids, why don’t you try your hand at babysitting? Your local Red Cross provides a class so that you can be properly certified. After taking the class you can make your own business cards and hand them out to your neighbors, your parents’ friends, and people at your church, or even your teachers that have small children.
If you’re an athlete, a great idea for you is to get in better shape for your sport; set weekly goals for yourself and work to achieve them. Some ideas for you are to go jogging every morning with a friend, practice sprints, improve your flexibility, or increase your accuracy. Make sure to set healthy goals and drink lots of water and eat nutritious food. Overworking yourself and abusing your body will do nothing to help you improve.
Whatever you choose to do this summer, make sure you have fun, stay healthy and work on more than just your outward appearance. I hope you all have a blast this summer!!!
-Katie Kane (6/11)