10 Things For Freshmen To Do Over The Summer

By Timothy Hayes on April 22, 2015

Summer is so close you can just feel it.

It’s so exhilarating to see trees budding, grass growing, and hear birds singing again. I’m sure I’m not alone in my semi-disbelief in this time of year when so recently we were all bundled like we were going to climb Everest.

With summer rapidly approaching, some are already planning out their next move. For some of us, it’ll be a job. For others, you might be headed to the Bahamas.

Whatever you do, make sure you freshmen do some of the following this summer.

1. Try something new. Don’t fall into a rhythm of daily life over the summer. Make sure you keep your life vibrant.

Maybe you’ve been wanting to get into shape. Start over summer when you can go running, play some sports, or ride your bike. If you have wanted to go do a hobby, do it. Go find something new and enjoy yourself. Eat some sushi. Go rock climbing. You might just find something you like.

2. Get a job. While this doesn’t sound that appealing, a job’s going to help you stay busy, pull in money for school, and give you some cash to spend.

Retail and restaurant work are fine, but you might consider an internship, painting, construction, or even starting your own small business like on Etsy. The rewards from a job well done are tangible and also just make you feel accomplished to have done a job well.

3. Take some time off. It’s summer break. Take a break. So many people run themselves into the ground and push themselves too hard.

image via http://www.harmoniecorpsetame.com

Make sure to make time when you don’t have to look at a clock or calendar. Remove deadlines and alarms and focus on the now. Enjoy yourself at the beach, spend time with your family out of state, and just relax. A vacation is time when you don’t worry about deadlines.

4. Take a road trip. It doesn’t have to be a big one. Just get some friends together, hop in a car, get a rough plan, and drive. Roll your windows down, blare your favorites, sing off-key, and feel the wind.

Few things feel as good as looking back on car trips you’ve taken and laughing softly about the stupid shenanigans you and your friends got into in Nowheresville, Oklahoma.

While you’re at it, check out some national monuments and parks like Rushmore, Bunker Hill, or Chattanooga National Park.

5. Keep up with school. You never stop learning. Every day you spend on earth is a day you learn something. Make sure this summer that you’re not just vegetating on Tumblr.

Crank up your brain and flex some mental muscles. Websites like LiveMocha can help you keep up on your foreign language and YouTube has many content creators like SmarterEveryDay, Veritasium, Numberphile, and Vsauce to keep your head moving even if school’s out.

Check out www.youtube.com/SmarterEveryDay for great videos about all kinds of material to keep you sharp. (image via www.appszoom.com)

6. Get outside. Just look out your window. It’s spring and that means it can only get better. When the summer breeze cuts the hot air, I love to run (sometimes roll) down hills and just be out in the beautiful sun.

Drop the remote, put down your phone, put on a pair of shorts and go frolic with reckless abandon. Have a picnic. Go hiking or camping. Get a group of friends together and play some Ultimate Frisbee.

Scientists have shown that a sedentary life leads to heart trouble, increased likelihood of stroke, and obesity, so get out there and enjoy the sun.

7. Read something. It doesn’t have to be a tome like “War and Peace.” Maybe you can just commit to reading the newspaper every week or the news online for 30 minutes. The New York Times Best Seller list is an excellent place to check out.

If you want, string a hammock, grab a sweet tea, and read a book until you fall asleep in the hot afternoon sun. Don’t want to chill in a hammock? Then pick up the audiobook from Audible.com. I recommend “Into the Woods” by Tana French.

8. Have a bonfire. Nothing says summer quite like roasting smores around the embers of a massive inferno. The ironic heat is nice to sing songs around and trade stories.

(image courtesy of blog.peertransfer.com)

The fun of a campfire is beat by no other outdoor activity. Throw in sparklers for a flare and use Reese’s Cups instead of plain chocolate on your smores. You can grill burgers and dogs too for a late night cookout.

9. Get your life together. I don’t know about you, but this semester’s kicking my butt. Summer time is the perfect time to get your stuff back in order. Clean out old papers, organize, and get your calendar squared away.

Your phone’s calendar is great if you like an audible reminder to do something, but if you’re more visual, get a whiteboard and mark out what you need to do. My family has used a whiteboard for years, and it can help you recover after a difficult first year.

10. Get ready for round two. Sophomore year will come around faster than any of us is expecting. Make sure your classes are squared away and you’re set for whatever applications you need to do.

Have fun this summer my fellow freshmen. Be safe, be productive, and be bold.

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