How to Dispel boredom during summer vacation

Find a job during the summer vacation. Summer jobs will keep you busy, have the opportunity to meet new people, and earn little money. ^[3] There are many retail businesses, tourist attractions or summer festivals that need extra staff during the summer.

Do volunteer work. Helping the community is a job that can make you feel happy and motivated, and of course when doing this work, you are also working towards a good cause. Look for organizations in the area that do activities like picking up trash, caring for injured or abandoned animals, or participating in political causes.

• Volunteering also helps to “beautify” your college application, although interviews and college essays are much better if you’re really passionate about the job.

Immerse yourself in the stacks of books at the library. ^[4] Books can transport you into another world or allow you to see through other people’s eyes. Try delving into a specific topic like Greek mythology, Japanese history, or space travel.

• If you want to learn more, you can try enrolling in a university course online. Some of the world’s top universities post lectures online, and they are often more interesting than lectures in high school classes. ^[5]

Start journaling. Many people keep a journal to recount the events of the day and get through tough times, or to plan for the next day. Maybe a few years from now you’ll be rereading the pages of your diary and smiling with delight at the memories of this summer vacation. ^[6]

Write novels . This is a big project that can fill the summer and beyond if you’re inspired. If you don’t know where to start, try writing a story imitating an author you love, or work together with another friend to share ideas.

Learn a new language . Knowing a foreign language will open up more opportunities for you, not to mention it will also make your resume look more impressive. You can find a beginner class near you or ask friends and family to teach you a language they know. Find free online language classes, online tools or expats to talk to.

Attend regional events. Most localities organize fairs, festivals or other fun events during the summer. You can search online for shows in your city or ask people around you if they know about upcoming events. Check websites or advertisements for places of great interest such as concert stages, theaters and stadiums. ^[7]

Play as a tourist to get to know the city you live in. Check your local travel website or flyer to see which destinations or events attract visitors from elsewhere. It could be anywhere, from museums to amusement parks in the city that you don’t know, or certain areas not far from the city. ^[8]

Go camping. Spend a few days with friends or family camping or camping in your backyard. Get a few friends to gather around a campfire or barbecue to tell ghost stories and make s’mores.

Play treasure hunt. Go online to find a treasure hunt location and look around to see who has a hidden secret reward. You can find these treasures or hide your own with a GPS device or find the coordinates on a map.

Create an indoor holiday. Can’t leave the house because of bad weather, lack of transportation, or can’t find an event? Then let’s create a simulated vacation. Invite some friends over to sleepover and decorate the room like a castle, jungle, hotel or whatever setting you like. Buy exotic foods and “souvenirs” to share with guests. If it rains, you can put on a swimsuit, wear sunglasses and lie in the house, pretending to be on a real summer vacation.

Contact old friends. If your current friends are busy or out of town, go through your yearbook, contact phone number or email and reconnect with old acquaintances. The above activities will be more fun if you have more friends, or you just need to meet to chat and review old memories.

Try assembling something. You can make anything, from a cardboard house to simply 3D models. This activity will help you practice logical thinking and patience.

Swimming. If you live in a climate with hot summers, you can have fun and cool off at the same time. Go to the beach or pool with friends or family. ^[9] Play swimming games like Marco Ppo or Shark Attack, have a swim together, or invite a group of friends to play water polo.

Cool with water activities. Even if you can’t find a place to swim, you still have a way to have fun with the water. Wear a swimsuit or light suit that you don’t mind getting wet and find some friends who are interested in participating in these activities:

• Turn on the lawn sprinkler and play chase or hide and seek among the cool jets of water.
• Play water fighting game. Fill a few balls with water, buy a cheap water gun at the same price store, or use a garden hose. You’ll have a good time…or start a water fight!

Make cold drinks and desserts. Cold drinks or ice cream are great in hot weather, and making them yourself can also help dispel boredom.

• Try making ice cream at home. You can use the traditional “salt and ice” method or use the recipe for a rich, creamy, delicious ice cream.
• Make ice cream and store it in the freezer all summer.
• Stock up on home-made ginger ale or lemonade in the fridge.
• Make a lollipop stick. Pour cold water into a cup with a disposable straw or spoon. Place in the freezer for two hours, then remove and enjoy while cold and delicious.

Relax in the room. Find a shady room, or use blankets or sheets to create a shelter from the sun. Turn on the fan, find a book to read, and wait for the hottest part of the day to pass.

• Other relaxing indoor activities include sewing, playing cards or other card games, watching movies or listening to music.

Play games when the sun goes down. When it’s afternoon and it’s cooler, invite a group of friends to play games like hide-and-seek, chase, or steal flags in a large yard or park. If the evening is too hot for physical games, you can set up an outdoor table to play cards or board while waiting for the air to cool down.

• Choose a board game that won’t be blown away by the wind, such as Carcassonne, Tikal, or Blokus. ^[10] These games are relatively common and available at many toy stores, but classic board games like chess, checkers, or any other board game have magnets attached to them. Travel is easier to find.
• The card game Hearts can be played in windy places, if you have rocks or other heavy objects to block the cards.

Organize or redecorate your home. Some people enjoy this activity, some don’t, but even if you’re not very interested in decorating your home, it’s better than sitting idle. Just sorting through the old stuff can help you find toys, old books, and other objects that bring back memories. For larger projects, you can repaint the room or hang posters and pictures.

Pick flowers around the area. See how many wildflowers you can pick from your garden or neighboring fields. Make a bouquet or press the flowers as a decoration to last a long time. The leaves can also be dried for use in art projects or home decor.

• Do not pick flowers in someone else’s yard without permission or flowers that appear to have been planted on purpose.

DIY beauty care products. ^[11] There are hundreds of homemade recipes with natural ingredients from yogurt, avocado or other stuff. You can open up your kitchen cabinets and treat yourself to a spa session without spending much.