MAXIMIZE YOUR SUMMER

I cannot believe the semester is over! It flew by and now we all have summer on our minds. Lydia sent me this post last month and I have anxiously been waiting to post it since then. I did not want to get too ahead of myself when it came to summer plans. 

Summer is quickly approaching, and maybe your plans aren’t quite set in stone. Long gone are the days when you could just walk down the block to the neighborhood pool to see all of your friends. Let’s face it: being home from college for a few months is fun at first, but it can get old pretty fast. Whether you’ve got an awesome internship lined up, a crazy summer full of travel, or you’re just planning to kick it with your parents this summer, there are plenty of ways to stay entertained wherever you are.

Why not get ahead in your major or boost your GPA while you’re at home? Many local colleges offer courses during the summer months that are typically cheaper than what you’d be paying during the school year! If there aren’t any colleges close to home, check out online offerings from your school or schools whose credits are accepted by your university. These classes are usually pretty inexpensive because they aren’t hosted on campus and you can work at your own pace, which is perfect to schedule around work or summer vacations. Wouldn’t you rather study at the pool than be stuck in a classroom all day?

Future employers love seeing volunteer work on your résumé, but sometimes it can get tricky trying to schedule community service around an already packed schedule during the school year. Summer is the perfect time to pack in those extra hours and do a little good around the community! Check out your local humane society, church/temple, or organizations like the Boys and Girls Club to find a way to get involved. It’s possible your sorority’s philanthropy could have a local branch or ways to get involved around your hometown!

Even if you don’t have the time or money to go to some exotic locale, adventure is just around the corner! Do some research to plan a little “staycation” with some of your friends. Look for fun outdoor activities such as rafting, tubing, ziplining, and more. Pack a picnic and explore a park you’ve never been to, taking pictures of the beautiful scenery around you. If you live near a city that has a couple of tourist attractions, go check out a place like the zoo or catch a baseball game! Certainly you’ll have a sister with something exciting to do in her hometown. Go pay her a visit!

If you get bored, just remember: this is most likely one of the last times you’ll have this much excess, unscheduled time until you’re retired. Let that sink in. Think about everything you can accomplish with this extra time – read those books you’ve been putting off, master that family recipe you’ve always wanted to make, spend some extra quality time with your parents. The opportunities are endless! I hope

this advice helped and that you’re all able to maximize your summer breaks!