As we are in the home stretch of this academic year, signified by the upcoming finals and the completion week for the last term, the excitement for summer vacation is slowly peeking in! Some students may feel way ahead of the time as they are in their "vacation mode" as the weather gets warmer, which indicates the upcoming 3-month well-deserved vacation. Summer vacation might look quite different from one student to the other. Some might travel and explore new places, especially since the condition of the ongoing pandemic is getting better. Some might indulge themselves in summer programs to hone their skills and capabilities. Some might spend their summer vacation in the comfort of their own homes. Regardless of how you spend your well-deserved vacation, it is inevitable that you run out of activities to keep yourself occupied and relaxed throughout the almost 3-month summer. With that, here are some activities that will keep you busy and entertained while also making your summer worthwhile!
Start the Habit of Reading
Yes, I know. Pretty ironic that the list starts with reading when the school year has recently finished, but reading a book in the summer is more exciting than reading for the school year. There is a significant difference between the reading done during the summer vacation and the reading done during the school year. When reading during the summer vacation, you can read books and comics that interest you without worrying about a book review or a deadline. This means you can read a book for as long as you like! With more free time, now is the best time to explore the extensive genres the book world has to offer that you might have overlooked during your busy schedule. A practice I like to do is asking my friends about their favorite books and comics. In this way, I get to know my friends a little more as I explore their interests, while also entertaining and keeping myself occupied.
Volunteer
Now that you have a flexible schedule and lots of free time, you can now integrate volunteer work into your activities as a way to step up your curriculum vitae and resume. In volunteering, not only will you be able to present your experiences to admissions, but you are also able to support a meaningful cause that may be dear to you. Especially during summer, lots of organizations are conducting volunteer programs as it is the peak season for students to harness new skills and experiences. What’s fun about volunteering is that you could volunteer with friends and classmates. In this way, you are gaining new experiences while having a great time bonding with them.
Binge on various movies and series
During the academic year, lots of great movies and series were teased and released. Some even trended on various social media platforms, giving us a little sneak peek as many different clips and discussions circulated. During that time, we might have felt envious for not being able to watch them as soon as possible. But now is the best time to catch up on the many movies and series we set aside when we were catching up on many different deadlines!
You could even partner this activity with the habit of journaling by creating a cohesive spreadsheet of the movies and series you watched. Then, you could give your comments and thoughts about them. Maybe even adding a star chart on how much you loved the movie. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to find your new favorite movie or series.
Start journaling
Despite having an eventful summer break, one may feel like their vacation flew by quite quickly. This feeling is almost always present if it is a few days leading up to the new academic year. It is normal to feel like this, especially if you have kept yourself busy throughout the summer vacation. However, to avoid and combat this ridiculous feeling, it is recommended to start journaling. Not only will you have a way to expand on your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. But you will also be able to take note of the memorable moments and opportunities you came across throughout the summer vacation. The great thing about journaling is that it is uniquely yours. You are free to write as much as you want and decorate accordingly. In the journal, you can indicate your excursions and who you were with, or you can simply note down what you had for lunch. Everything you write is all up to you! You could even add little trinkets like pictures, movie or concert tickets, or receipts to add to your journal entry of the day. Some might want to write everything down every day, while some may write inconsistently. What matters most is that you can reflect on how much you enjoyed your summer vacation. Maybe before the school year starts, you can take time to read your past journal entries as a way to reminisce about the great vacation you had.
Above is just a comprehensive list of suggested activities for you to spend your summer vacation. However, the decision is entirely yours to make on how you would top off the past summers and entitle this year’s as "the best summer vacation you ever had." Whichever way you choose to spend your summer, whether or not you fulfill these activities, aim to have a restful vacation that enables you to destress from the recently concluded school year. Make sure to spend your newfound free time with activities and happenings that bring you joy so that in the last few days of your vacation, you feel fulfilled that you would not have it any other way. Without further ado, apply that sunscreen, grab those sunglasses, wear your summer outfit, and own the 2022 summer vacation.
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