So, summer has arrived quicker than we all thought, exams are finished, essays are handed in, library fines are paid… now what? Three months of painstaking boredom, living with the parents and acting like a stroppy teenager again make you realise you can’t just stumble in the door at 5am after a night on the town. Well, summer doesn’t have to be like that and I have some surefire ways to keep you entertained this summer…money or no money, there is no excuse!
- Get your friends together, uni or home, and make a list. Yes, a list – a list of all the places you want to visit or do, starting with the easiest. From “go see The Great Gatsby” to your wildest adventure, cross them off as you go, and you’ll feel more productive.
- Many people don’t realise (myself included!) that there are some fantastic places right on your doorstep to see. This website includes the top 100 places to visit in England and a lot may be closer to home than you think, or maybe you want to go further? Lands End? Grab yourself your closest friends, a car and get road-tripping. The more friends petrol and a hostel is split between, the cheaper it becomes – the journey can sometimes even be the best part. Whether you want history, culture, sport or shopping, this is the website for you.
http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Things-to-do/
- Sick of spending money? Spend your time. There are a huge number of charities up and down the country that will be so glad of any time you can give them. This can be volunteering in their shop, out collecting money through fundraising, even advertising! Not only will this help with the old chestnut of ‘looking good on your CV’, but it will genuinely give you a buzz knowing that you changed someone else’s life.
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/ Need help knowing where to start? This website gives you all the background information for volunteering in the UK, but it’s even easier to just ask your local charities if they need a hand this summer. Summer months can be the perfect time to really raise their funds, so what you waiting for? All hands on deck!
- With all this travelling, be it leisurely or for your work, trains are an obvious way to go for those who don’t have access to a car. Trains can be brilliant (when they run on time and the fares are cheap!). So book in advance! There are a huge number of train companies out there and most offer similar prices, but shop around, be flexible on your dates, and get there early.
- Reading. Yes, you may have only just said goodbye to your most hated module of the year and are sick of the sight of reading books about someone who you don’t care about, but for many of us our degree doesn’t end here. It is much easier to keep up-to-date having read the books in advance – and you never know, something might catch your eye and you may even enjoy it! Pick a sunny day in your garden or local park, grab your shades and get reading.
There are so many things for you to do whether you are a spontaneous person or love planning and organising trips. There is always something near or far for your to spend your time doing in summer. Everyone moans about university students having too much time off – prove them wrong and make your summer count.
