Depending on where you are from, I find that there is a common trend among teenagers/young adults of not having anything to do in their small town. Eventually, you get bored of doing the same thing every day, especially over the summer. I am from a small town in Pennsylvania, so I’m going to share how I kept myself occupied and had fun over the summer.
- Bonfires in my backyard
The first thing that I did was have bonfires in my backyard. Though it may seem boring, it’s actually so much fun if you make it that way. I would invite a small group of friends to my house, sit in a circle outside around the fire, roast some marshmallows, and catch up on our lives. If we were feeling really fancy, we would set up a projector and have an outdoor movie night.
- Finding new trails/preserves to walk around
Around my area, I have several parks/trails/preserves within a 20 mile radius, so I would try to find a new trail to walk every week. I would bring along a friend (or go on my own, always making sure I’m safe) and we would walk, talk, take photos, and play music through a speaker. This way, we were able to get a little exercise in, spend time with each other, and enjoy the fresh air. Sometimes, we would even have little picnics by the water.
- Going to the river
I went swimming in a river quite frequently this summer. Now, this isn’t for everybody, but on those hot summer days when you just want to dive in some cool water and you don’t have access to a pool, it’s the next best thing. It’s also great for having a calm moment to yourself after a long hard day. (Once again) I would bring a speaker, play whatever music I was feeling in the moment, float in the river, read a book, and just release.
- 7/11 runs
My friends and I find ourselves hanging out in someone’s car more than anything. A lot of the time, we just wanted to go on an adventure, typically resulting in a 7/11 run. They had large Slurpees for only $1.49 with 10 different flavors, giving us a cheap option for a little treat, and the chance to drive around and be with each other.
- Going to any and all small events in my area
Where I’m from, they mail out small calendars (and I’m sure you could find one online for your town) of events that were going on in my township. Through this, I found lots of free opportunities, including movies in the park, farmers/flea markets, food truck events, and more. This is a great and cheap way to have some fun and get out of the house for a little.