Ah! Yes, summer. The time to sloth around, binge watch your favorite TV show for the 20th time, stay up late, sleep in, eat lots of junk food, and make a goal to do absolutely nothing.

Or is it?

We are constantly fed by the media, movies, and peers that this time is useful for nothing more than, as Ryan famously exclaims in High School Musical 2, “an education vacation.” While summer definitely provides a much needed rest, it is also a great opportunity to create and foster relationships, discover new things and pursue your dreams. 

In this article I have come up with 5 ideas that you can use to make this summer the best one yet! 

Idea #1- Wait, I have to spend time with my family??

We’re often influenced by the misconception that to have fun during the summer, it must be with friends. While hanging out with friends is always a plus and socialization is a must have during the long summer days, we don’t always realize how little time we spend with our family during the busy school year.

Communication, and spending quality time, all contribute to strengthening, nurturing, and growing family bonds. Which can be especially beneficial for families with an injured Veteran. However, this requires intentionality. Being intentional can look like organizing a family game night, taking your sibling out for coffee, or planning special one on one time with your mom or dad. 

Whatever you plan to do, all that matters is the fact that you are displaying interest and striving to connect with those that love you most.

Idea #2–Keeping your eyes on the prize with intention.

Sometimes you may find yourself entering summer break with the best intentions, but only a few weeks in, you find yourself wondering what to do with your time.

When you hit a roadblock, distractions like video games, phone, TV etc., become easier to fall into than not. Without a clear goal in mind, it’s easy to fall into the temptation of wasting time, and before you know it, summer is over and you have an overwhelming sense of guilt for lost time. 

What I have found to be most helpful in this situation, is to look at the long term by asking yourself, “What do I want to have accomplished by the end of this summer?” and then working your way back by setting attainable goals daily that will eventually get you to that end goal.

You can even make this fun by setting rewards for yourself to enjoy when you accomplish your goal, making your bucket list seem less daunting.

I believe the key to achieving what you have set out to do is intentionality, taking control and responsibility for your actions. You can even be intentional about doing something like sitting down to scroll on your phone. As long as you are making the conscious choice to do what you choose to do and acknowledge the consequences that come with each decision, good and bad. It may seem hard at first, striving to live intentionally, but by shifting our focus and viewing summer not as a time to waste, but a time to grow, it will be easier to change bad habits that may have been built.

Idea #3-Oh great, back to productivity!

Although by the end of the school year you may be completely sick of schedules, not having a schedule at all often keeps us scatterbrained and makes it harder for us to keep track of things we have to do. 

Maybe an ideal summer schedule doesn’t look like waking up at 6 am and going to bed by10 pm, but setting practical guidelines and practicing self discipline now will be valuable life skills that will come in handy in the future.

If you don’t want to keep a schedule, giving yourself a routine, like a set of things you do every day will keep you from getting overwhelmed with the monotony that summer can bring.

Idea #4-You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Summer is all about opportunity. Being open to new experiences and opportunities during this time is crucial to getting the most out of your summer season.

By joining an online crafting class, dabbling in cooking (without burning down the house, please), or even committing to reading one new book are all ways to get out of a usual routine and expand your horizons. 

Idea #5-There is no time like the present!

One summer, I wanted to start an online girls community, and I was able to pull it together in a few days. The next summer I was barely able to do anything because of medical problems my sister was facing. We are all walking through different seasons of life. Being able to accept where you are and not compare your situation to others is really important. 

Life is also about taking some risks. Maybe you have been wanting to start a small business, write a song or learn coding. Sometimes those dreams that seem impossible are actually the most possible and fruitful decisions you can make.. I remember when I wanted to start this blog. I knew it would take countless hours of writing, coding and research to get it going. It was a pretty big risk, but looking back I am glad I took it. It has been the greatest experience of my life. 

Conclusion

With all of this said, there is no telling what adventures and endeavors you will encounter this summer. Whatever you choose to do, I hope you were able to take a few tips from this article that can accompany you through these next couple of months. With that, will you help me welcome summer 2025?!