So it's the end of the school year and FIDDLESTICKS -- you forgot to call your mom (again) and apply for a summer job or maybe you applied but didn't find any luck. However instead of the recruiter, your mom calls you!
Well don't fret, because just like your doting mother, your summer is not hopeless. In fact, this summer can still be one of the best summers of your life! These five suggestions of things to do this summer when ostensibly all hope is lost will hopefully help you lead a fabulous summer, which will in return have your envious peers asking, "What did you do?" And you'll gracefully answer: Nothing.
1. Relax
You've spent the entire school year stressing about socials, class work, professors, breakups and scholarships. It's time to be unencumbered. Why not take a few months out of the year to practice the one thing you're pretty awful at? Relaxing. Take a nap or two. Go for a nature walk or meditate -- just don't preoccupy yourself with work or stress-related activities. You deserve to relax -- you're a Millennial; we're hyper-involved as it is already.
2. Read (or Write) A Book
This one may seem counterintuitive since you've just finished an entire semester of surveying 16th and 17th century English poets and authors or was that just me? Nonetheless, what I'm offering is actually quite novel. Read a book for pleasure!
But not just any book, but a well-written book that you chose. A book challenges your vocabulary, exposes you to new ideas, and engages you.
Once you've finished your summer-reading list, maybe you should write the next book on your list! Start by journaling your daily adventures. Then challenge yourself to write a narrative that extends beyond 140 characters and ends on the 140th page.
For beginners: Writing is a practice. It takes consistency and dedication. You never know what could happen. In the words of the wise British pop-star Natasha Beddingfield, "The rest is still unwritten."
Well don't fret, because just like your doting mother, your summer is not hopeless.
3. Exercise & Start a Healthier Diet
I know -- Ew. Exercising much like the word moist should be erased from the English lexicon. However, we need them both. So after you're done relaxing and reading, do a few crunches, push-ups, jumping-jacks and run a mile or two.
Discover what type of workout regimen best fits you. Do you enjoy biking or practicing yoga? YouTube offers some great workout playlists and regimens. Try everything just to make sure you've found the perfect fit for your new healthy lifestyle.
Don't just binge watch Netflix with highly-salted potato chips; exchange the chips for sliced apples or raisins. It isn't about beginning something totally new as much as it is about about increasing your already preexisting good habits.
Your body will thank you for it later. Plus who doesn't want to return to school healthier than they left?
4. Go On A Trip (In Your Own Backyard)
Explore your town or city you may lived in your entire life. Serve at the local food bank or visit your town's community garden. Go on a history trail in your town and learn something new about your community.
You don't have to be privileged to go on a Pintrest worthy vacation this summer. Sometimes the best trips are in your own backyard. Look at the sagacious Backyardigans, they often are found sojourning through mountainous terrains in their very own backyard. Surely if fictitious characters can enjoy themselves in their own backyard, you, too, can have an amazing summer in your own backyard.
5. Disconnect from Technology & Reconnect with Loved Ones & Yourself
We're a generation that's constantly plugged in. We check our phones at least 150 times a day, according to Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers's annual Internet Trends report. But how often do we pause to check on ourselves and others?
This summer turn off your phone (and yes, plug it in its charger), and take a minute to breathe. Take a breath; look up at the sky, not down at your phone; have face-to-face interaction instead of Facetime; make a commitment to be completely present in all of your human interactions; and I promise you that it'll be rewarding.
So, no, you may not have everything planned for your summer like your peers, but two things you certainly do have are yourself and your mom!
H.A.G.S. #HaveAGreatSummer!