With summer comes fun, sun, and (hopefully) an upgrade in your leisure time. From trying to find increasingly unique ways to beat the heat to indulging in your love for caffeine, there’s always cool ways to spend the summer (even if you’re well beyond your school years).
Summer’s a mostly relaxing season, save for the occasional, harried family or friend-packed vacation that turns out to be more stressful than expected. But you don’t have to venture too far to discover things to do! So I’ve pulled together a few ideas to help get the wheels turning if you’re stuck on how you might spend the summer.
Revisit your hobbies.
Hobbies are definitely not restricted to a single season, even if the past year felt like one long season. Summer just often proves to be an ideal time to find your way back to your interests, especially when you’ve maybe fallen out of a rhythm throughout the rest of the year.
It happens to everyone. The general stress of life can end up being a big factor in you not getting around to actually doing the hobbies that help you relax. So, with summer here, why not rediscover them and all the good vibes they bring you?
I’m not talking about structuring rigidly set times to dive into your hobbies. Try and work them into your routine as naturally as possible. Are you learning or relearning a musical instrument? Get back into playing for 20 minutes a few times a week in the evening after dinner. Do you drive by a park on your way home from work? Take a quick break from your commute and shoot a basketball, kick a soccer ball, or skateboard around a bit. All that matters is that you’re stopping to get in some time to do the things you enjoy.
Discover new coffee shops.
Grabbing coffee may seem like a year-round no-brainer, but you tend to be a regular at only one or two coffee shops. Checking out new morning spots during the summer is a great way to get out of the house, catch some sunshine in your favorite Pacific Beach tank top, and cool down with an iced coffee.
To switch up simply heading to the nearest coffee shop, which may already be your daily or weekly stop for a caffeine fix, do a bit of online research and unearth some coffee shops that are totally new to you. This’ll give you a fun list of new destinations to explore, all of which undoubtedly have their own spins on coffee (and pastries!).
Maybe set out to visit every shop on the list you put together. The reward? The satisfaction of a totally completed mission (along with a totally delicious summer).
Go camping.
It’s time to pack your supplies, including a maroon zip-up hoodie that’s perfect for layering on a chilly night by the fire. Camping’s a rather timeless summer activity, going all the way back to the 19th century. As a to-do item for summer, camping’s an exceptional way to relax, unwind, and enjoy some quiet time in the great outdoors.
The great thing about camping is that there are many ways to do it! No matter your preference, think about the time you can spend swimming, hiking, reading in a hammock, kicking back around a campfire with s’mores and a few beers, and hopefully, hopefully, hopefully avoiding mosquitoes.
A few ways to camp:
- Tent: You can go the truest, most basic route of camping — just you, a tent, and the campsite.
- Cabin: Renting a cabin is a step up from tenting it, and lots of campsites will have simple cabins available if you’re looking to get outdoors but not too outdoors.
- RV: You can rent an RV if you don’t own one, and it’s the right call if you want nature without feeling like you’ve ventured too far from home, as RVs have more amenities than tent or cabin camping.
Have a video game night.
Picture this: It’s been a super-hot day and you’re just done with being outside in any capacity. You crank the air-conditioning, put on your most comfy crew neck t-shirt, and boot up an entire evening of playing video games. No matter your preference — console or PC, take your pick — a video game night is a great way to chill, either by yourself or with all your friends.
Go all out and potentially end those friendships with any of the Mario Party titles. Want to yell in the dark alone? Restart that Resident Evil game you never finished. Are you a plot lover? Red Dead Redemption 2 (and all its beautiful scenery and crime) awaits! Hell, battle all the odds and other online gamers in a multiplayer franchise like Overwatch or Apex Legends.
No matter what kind of summer you’re looking for and forward to, I hope you’ve gotten a couple ideas on how to relax and have your extremely well-earned fun. Don’t forget to keep Fresh Clean Tees in mind as you consider your summer plans and wardrobe!
— Paige Lyman
