Summer is quickly approaching with final exams and projects ready to be turned in soon. This will be my last summer before I graduate from university and as someone who kept to themselves and didn’t do much for my first three college summers, I want to make this summer last. I already have a few plans for 2024, but I am still developing more. If you have no idea what to do, here are a few ideas to get started!
Create a Vision Board!
This can be done by yourself or with friends. I plan to invite a bunch of my friends over and decorate a cute vision board with pictures printed from Walgreens to visualize this summer. You can go as far as adding past summer pictures or go as far as wanting to recreate the perfect summer movie. This can be a great bonding activity or a time for self-reflection on how realistic you want to be this summer with plans and vacations.
If you are into geek or anime culture, go to a convention!
My summer this year is booked with two huge cons, OtakuFest in May and Florida Supercon in July. One of my favorite parts of going to a con is meeting up with my middle school friends who I only see a couple of times a year. I love planning with my cosplays and once the programming schedule is revealed, I like to have an idea about the panels but I also like going with the flow. I consider this my big vacation of the year! If you have never gone to a con before, I highly recommend attending only one of the days to get a feel for it because I will admit, conventions are overwhelming.
Do a summer camp-themed vacation day/week with your friends or family!
We all remember watching The Parent Trap when we were kids and wanting to go to a summer camp so badly, right? Well, now it’s the perfect time! This can be done with small or large friend groups and families but it takes a bit of planning! Start the day by playing classic camp games such as corn in a hole, and go swimming at the pool or beach. End the night by putting on a projector for movie night, playing with sparklers and being next to the bonfire, eating hotdogs and smores. You can even get creative and make customized trucker hats and t-shirts!
Summer Road Trip!
My sister and I plan to drive up to Philadelphia this summer! Pick out some tunes, get a disposable camera, and enjoy the drive. Get some slushies or gas station coffee and snacks (bonus points if it’s from Bucees!) I loved the 3-day road trip we did from Miami to Washington D.C, I got to explore 4 new states, and seeing the lush greenery and small towns did cure my seasonal depression.