How To Make Summer 2017 The Best One Yet
Welcome back, everyone! The school year has finally ended, the sun is shining (kind of), the flowers are blossoming, and the time for summer activities starts now! In past years, getting into 'summer mode' has taken me longer than I would've liked it to. The occasional waking up at 6:30 am thinking it was time for school had happened more often than not, and staying out passed midnight on weekdays still gave me a mini heart attack. It would sometimes take me weeks to mentally switch gears, which would result in wasting half of my summer days! I think after a few years, I've finally figured out how to plan these two months for the optimum summer experience. I know I'm not alone in this category, so here are a few tips & tricks I've found useful in doing so.
#1: Get out of the house!
I probably sound like your mother don't I? Well, sometimes she's right. On a serious note, being cooped up at home can have negative effects on your health, social development, and emotional state. Nine times out of ten, isolating yourself at home involves binging on a Netflix series, eating everything from the kitchen cupboard, and refusing to wear anything but pajama pants. While the occasional lazy days here and there are totally acceptable, this is not the ideal summer routine.
#2: Schedule your week in advance.
The most important piece of advice I can give you is this: establish a calendar system. I believe I've mentioned this in a past blog, but I'll just touch on it for those who missed out. Sitting down on a Sunday and filling in time slots for yourself, scribbling in important events, your work schedule, and even birthdays will increase your summer productivity by 1,000%. Visualizing your week on paper will allow you to create a stress free summer, and prevent any date mixups.
#3: Work, work, work.
As much as you hate waking up early to attend that minimum wage job, your future self will thank you for it. Yes, summer is for relaxing by the pool with a drink in hand, but it's also for racking up that $$$. No matter how tough it may be, you have to stay motivated at work. There will be times where you miss that graduation party, dinner with friends, your sister's birthday, or that movie you've been meaning to see for weeks, but it all pays off in the end. Having a job teaches responsibility, time management, and a good work ethic that will stick with you into your adult life.
#4: Travel any chance you get.
Although money may be tight at the moment, you don't have to spend a fortune to take a weekend trip with your girlfriends. Fort Wayne is set in a perfect location to head northwest to Chicago's big city, straight up north to the Michigan lakes, or east to Ohio's.... nevermind. Taking an easy 3 hour road trip to some of Indiana's state parks, camping, hiking, and enjoying quality time with those you care about most makes for a memorable summer adventure.
#5: Capture the moment.
Whether you're going out to coffee with friends, swimming at the lake, or having a movie night with heaps of popcorn, take photos! I'm a big supporter of this idea, obviously, and I think everyone should get on board with it as well. A few years down the line, you'll be able to look back on all of your memories from Summer 2k17, laugh with friends & family, and recall many of the crazy things you did as a teenager. *Sidenote: you don't have to broadcast all of these photos and videos on social media. We get it Becky, you got hammered last night... again.
#6: Try something new.
Ever wanted to visit that amusement park? Attend a concert? How about try a sushi doughnut? Go skinny dipping? (don't recommend). Well, it's summer... anything's possible! June & July are wide open to try something that you wouldn't normally do during the school year, and make crazy memories doing so. Take risks, make mistakes, learn something new about yourself, and most importantly: have fuuuuun!
Xoxo everyone! I'm signing off to go enjoy my summer vacation, & I encourage you to do the same.
#1: Get out of the house!
I probably sound like your mother don't I? Well, sometimes she's right. On a serious note, being cooped up at home can have negative effects on your health, social development, and emotional state. Nine times out of ten, isolating yourself at home involves binging on a Netflix series, eating everything from the kitchen cupboard, and refusing to wear anything but pajama pants. While the occasional lazy days here and there are totally acceptable, this is not the ideal summer routine.
#2: Schedule your week in advance.
The most important piece of advice I can give you is this: establish a calendar system. I believe I've mentioned this in a past blog, but I'll just touch on it for those who missed out. Sitting down on a Sunday and filling in time slots for yourself, scribbling in important events, your work schedule, and even birthdays will increase your summer productivity by 1,000%. Visualizing your week on paper will allow you to create a stress free summer, and prevent any date mixups.
#3: Work, work, work.
As much as you hate waking up early to attend that minimum wage job, your future self will thank you for it. Yes, summer is for relaxing by the pool with a drink in hand, but it's also for racking up that $$$. No matter how tough it may be, you have to stay motivated at work. There will be times where you miss that graduation party, dinner with friends, your sister's birthday, or that movie you've been meaning to see for weeks, but it all pays off in the end. Having a job teaches responsibility, time management, and a good work ethic that will stick with you into your adult life.
#4: Travel any chance you get.
Although money may be tight at the moment, you don't have to spend a fortune to take a weekend trip with your girlfriends. Fort Wayne is set in a perfect location to head northwest to Chicago's big city, straight up north to the Michigan lakes, or east to Ohio's.... nevermind. Taking an easy 3 hour road trip to some of Indiana's state parks, camping, hiking, and enjoying quality time with those you care about most makes for a memorable summer adventure.
#5: Capture the moment.
Whether you're going out to coffee with friends, swimming at the lake, or having a movie night with heaps of popcorn, take photos! I'm a big supporter of this idea, obviously, and I think everyone should get on board with it as well. A few years down the line, you'll be able to look back on all of your memories from Summer 2k17, laugh with friends & family, and recall many of the crazy things you did as a teenager. *Sidenote: you don't have to broadcast all of these photos and videos on social media. We get it Becky, you got hammered last night... again.
#6: Try something new.
Ever wanted to visit that amusement park? Attend a concert? How about try a sushi doughnut? Go skinny dipping? (don't recommend). Well, it's summer... anything's possible! June & July are wide open to try something that you wouldn't normally do during the school year, and make crazy memories doing so. Take risks, make mistakes, learn something new about yourself, and most importantly: have fuuuuun!
Xoxo everyone! I'm signing off to go enjoy my summer vacation, & I encourage you to do the same.
'til next time
-savedbythebelle
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