How to Not Waste Your Summer Away

We all know the feeling of the first day of summer break.  You’re excited and ready to spend the next three months having fun with your friends and enjoying the break from school.  However,  as the weeks go on, you begin to get bored, running out of things to do with your days, and wasting your summer away.  So, if you end up getting bored this summer just remember these 20 things that you can do to keep your summer fun. 

1. 1. Hiking:  When you’re on your hike you will get to enjoy the summer sun and get a nice work out in.  There are so many beautiful hiking trails in Oregon that you could go on with your friends, like the King’s Mountain hike, God’s Thumb hike, and many more.  

• Go for a Walk:  During the summer, the weather is typically pretty nice.  So going for a walk would be a great option for something to do if you’re bored.    

1. Outdoor movie night with friends: In your backyard, you can set up a nice seating area using some blankets and pillows, and then get a phone projector to project your movie.  You can even get some good snacks, like Oreos and pretzels to eat while you are enjoying your movie.  
2. Ice Cream: On any hot summer day ice cream is always a good thing to have on hand.  From cookie dough to mint chocolate chip you cannot go wrong with having some delicious ice cream. 
3. Swimming:  Whether it’s blowing up a swimming pool in your backyard or going to the pool, swimming during the summer is always a good option to cure your summer boredom.
4. Bike Ride: If you’re feeling restless you can always go on a nice bike ride to get out some energy.  On your bike ride, you will get to see the beautiful scenery around you and definitely cure your restlessness. 
5. Thrifting: If you are looking for some nice clothes to wear during the summer, but you’re on a budget, you should definitely go thrifting.  When you’re thrifting you’ll be able to find cute clothes at low prices and get to feel stylish during your daily summer activities.
6. Books from the Library: Most of the time during the summer, we end up losing a lot of the knowledge that we gained during the school year. By the time school arrives again, we have to relearn many things.  However, a great way to stop this from happening is by going to the library and checking out some books.  This way you’ll get to learn new things over the summer, and improve your learning abilities for the coming school year.
7. Journaling: Another fun thing that you can do is start a journal.  Every night you can write about what happens, maybe write down your life goals, or start a bucket list.  By doing this you’ll definitely feel creative and have something productive to do in your free time. 
8. Fair with your friends:  One great fair that you can go to is the Washington County Fair, located in Hillsboro, Oregon.  The fair is happening this summer between July 24th and August 2nd.  The fair is a great place to go on some great rides and eat some delicious food. 
9. Picnic in your Backyard: During summer the weather is always so nice, and it’s a great opportunity to go outside and enjoy the sunshine.  One way to do this is by having a picnic in your backyard.  Whether it is with a group of friends or by yourself, you’ll definitely have a great time.  You can pack a sandwich and an Izzy, and just relax.
10. Stargazing: Whether you’re on a hike or in your own backyard, stargazing is always a fun activity to do.  Just set up a blanket, lay down, and admire the stars.
11. Tennis: A great physical activity that you can do to get some energy out is to play tennis.  All you need is a tennis racket and a ball, and then you’re ready to play.  If you don’t have anyone to play tennis with, you can just hit the tennis ball against a wall.  However,  if you’re with your friends, you can have a competitive game together and have a great time hitting the ball back and forth over the net. 
12. Go to the Park: Another thing you can do is go to the park.  The park is a great option, because you’ll be getting in exercise, sunshine, and maybe even get to see some cute dogs. 
13. Trip to the Mall: If you are looking for another fun activity to do with your friends over the summer, you can always go on a trip to the mall.  Even though it’s pretty expensive, it’s always fun to try on clothes or sit in the model cars. 
14. Go to the Beach: For a great outside activity where you get to see the beauty of nature, you can head to the beach.  While the beaches in Oregon may be pretty cold, you can always have a fun time building sandcastles, or, if you’re brave enough, go for a swim in the freezing ocean. 
15. Summer Playlist: If you are feeling like jamming to some of the summer’s greatest hits, you can make a summer playlist.  This is always a fun idea, because next time you are trying to figure out what to listen to, just turn on your summertime playlist and jam out. 
16. Concerts: Going to concerts is a great thing to do during the summer.  Concerts are another great way to jam out to some great music and have a fun time with your friends. 
17. Pick Berries: During the summer, usually people eat pretty unhealthy food.  Who could blame them though, there are some great summertime snacks, like ice cream and otter pops. However, if you’re looking for a healthy snack option, going berry picking is a great option.  Just head out to a local farm and pick anything from blueberries, to raspberries, to strawberries.  This will definitely help you eat healthier, and you’ll get to taste some amazing, fresh fruit. 
18.  S’mores Party: You can set up your fire pit, buy some supplies, and invite over your friends to have a good time.  Some great ingredients that you have to bring to your party are Kit Kats, Reeses, and Peeps.  While the classic, graham cracker, Hershey’s chocolate bar, and marshmallow s’more tastes good, branching out to different types of s’mores is always something fun to do.  Replacing your classic chocolate with Reeses or Kit Kats helps add new flavors and more of a crunch to your s’more. Then adding a Peep to replace the marshmallow always adds a more sweet flavor to your s’more.

In conclusion, summer is a great time and it’s always important not to waste it away.  With these 20 summer tips, you’ll be able to have more activities that you can do to have the best summer 2020 ever.