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Just like that, summer vacation is in full swing! It seems the days go by faster than I can say “it’s summer!” “. As summer approaches halfway through, you might be thinking: what should I do with the rest of my free time? Here are five things you need to do before summer ends.
Read a book
While school is in session, finding time to read a book for fun can be tricky. One day you have football practice, the next day homework is overflowing your desk. Due to the abundance of free time, summer is perfect for stopping by a local library or bookstore and grabbing a new novel to indulge. Often the magic of reading for fun is overlooked due to the negative connotations forced reading in school creates. . It’s time to forget about the time your teacher made you read all about War and Peace and pick a book that interests you.
The great thing about books is that there are so many different genres that might catch your eye. Try romance if you like romance. If you love dragons and mythological creatures, fantasy is perfect for you. Here are some of my recommendations:
- The Summer I Became Pretty by Jenny Han
- My year of rest and relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
You can also check out my thoughts on ‘BookTok’ books here for more recommendations!
Make a plan for the school year
Summer might not seem like the time to think about school and how stressful it is, but strategizing for the year ahead isn’t the worst idea. You never want to walk into a situation clueless and it can very well happen if you don’t prepare well. Even if you’re entering your senior year and think you know it all, it’s still important to be prepared for the year.
Think about your goals for the year and then you can move on. While you don’t determine everything that happens in your year, if you go into the year knowing how you want it to go, it will serve you well. To create your own plan, take a look at your extracurricular activities, your classes, your teachers, and your life in general. Create a fictional timetable for your weeks, prepare your textbooks and notebooks and tell your friends about their year. If you get organized now, you won’t have to rush through an already busy time to figure out your year. 
Deep clean your room
If you’re like me, you let your room get dirty during the school year. After a long day at school, I don’t feel like hunching over a pile of clothes, folding them one by one. While you still have time (and energy), take a day or two to walk through your entire room. Yes, your whole room. Go through every cupboard and drawer, every book and trophy on your shelf, and everything else. You might realize you still have 5th grade clothes in your closet or find an old sweater that you love.
Start by breaking the process down into categories and go from there. Attack your clothes, books, miscellaneous objects, furniture and everything you have in your room. While cleaning and organizing, make it easy for you to keep clean. You designate places where items will always go. Having a consistent place to toss a tote bag or sweater will make your room easier to clean and more organized. 
hang out with old friends
During the school year, the only people you can interact with are often your classmates. This is your sign to call an old friend and ask them to go grab a snack or take a walk. Spending time with the same people over and over again can get a little boring, so might as well spice it up. You might even rekindle an old relationship and find yourself a new best friend. You never know what will happen.
If you don’t know how to contact them, you can text them and ask how they are doing. Start the conversation and then mention the possibility of meeting you. For the most part, no one will object to seeing an old friend again. Take advantage of your extra time and send that first text!
Treat yourself
This is by far the most important thing you can do for yourself. Summer is one of the only times when you can truly relax and have fun. The school year is clouded with stress and anxiety, which makes it extremely important to spend time away from these negative feelings. Surround yourself with positive energy and avoid anything super stressful. If you love taking baths with bath bombs, turn on that faucet and watch this bath bomb spurt out in color. If you’re into hiking, find a local trail and call some friends. After all, you only have a limited number of summers left. Might as well take advantage of it while there’s still time. Prioritize your happiness and well-being and you will feel the difference.
Entering the school year feeling refreshed and not overwhelmed will set you up for the full months ahead.
While we all wish summer could last forever, sadly it doesn’t. Limited time signifies the importance of using your time wisely. Take advantage of those remaining days to try reading a book, clean your room, or even reach out to an old friend. It might impact you in ways you wouldn’t expect. Enjoy the rest of your summer!