How to Beat Boredom over the Summer

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Learn a new hobby.

   Is there something you've always wanted to learn, but didn't think you could? Summer might provide the free time you need to pick up something new.
   
   Here are some suggestions:
   Learn to play a musical instrument.
   
   Take up singing or dancing.
   
   Try a new art form like photography or knitting.
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   Step 2: Play a sport.

   In most places, summer is a great time of year for outdoor sports, as long as you can stand the heat.
   
   If you don't have a favorite sport yet, there's no better time to pick one up.
   
   Get friends together or join a class to play team sports such as soccer (association football), basketball, or field hockey.
   
   Find an activity for one or two people, like surfing, urban golf, or tennis. , Get some friends over and brainstorm a movie idea.
   
   This can be anything from a science fiction story, to a competitive cooking show, to a music video.
   
   If you get into the project, it can provide weeks of fun planning a storyboard, costumes, recruiting extras, and editing the film.
   
   You could also come up with an idea for a series of smaller videos, and start a Youtube channel. , Get a recording program or a tape recorder and start your own show.
   
   Write up a list of things you want to include on your show: music, jokes, interviews, advertisements, fake or genuine news commentary, etc. , Arts and crafts projects can take time and patience you don't have during the school year, but they're perfect for summertime.
   
   Here are some ideas:
   Fold a paper heart.
   
   You can cut out heart-shaped notes for your loved ones, or get some square origami paper and try to make a fancier version.
   
   There are many more origami projects to try as well.
   
   Make rainbow crayons, or try melting crayons on hot rocks to make art.
   
   Make your own slime or play dough.
   
   Use these strange-feeling materials for pranks, or just to play with for fun.
   
   Make a Solar Hot Air Balloon.
   
   These balloons can travel hundreds of miles in a day, and are easy to make. , There are more games out there than you could ever learn in a lifetime, but summer gives you the opportunity to pick one and become a master strategist.
   
   Some games like bridge, chess, Magic, or Starcraft II even have international tournaments with massive rewards for the winners. , If you don't know how to cook or you don't know much about food, you could learn some recipes now.
   
   There are thousands of recipes available online or in cookbooks from the library or bookstores, or you could try these easy ideas to start with:
   Make cold, refreshing smoothies.
   
   Try different, even wacky combinations, either to make a nice cold summer drink, or to dare your friends to drink a mysterious concoction.
   
   Make a chocolate peanut butter parfait as a delicious dessert.
   
   Make hummus for dipping crackers.
   
   If you're ambitious, you could even make homemade bread. , It'll keep you busy, introduce you to new people, and earn some money.
   
   Many retail businesses, tourist attractions, or summer festivals need workers during the summer. , Helping your community can be satisfying, uplifting work, and of course you're working towards a good cause of well.
   
   Look for organization in your area that pick up trash, work with injured or abandoned animals, or work for political causes.
   
   Volunteering also looks good on college applications, although interviews and essay will go a lot better if you are genuinely interested in the work. , Books can transport you into a different world, or let you see through the eyes of others.
   
   Try learning all you can on a particular topic, such as Norse mythology, Japanese history, or space travel.
   
   If you want to learn even more, try an online college course.
   
   Some of the world's top universities even post lectures online, and these are often more interesting than a high school (secondary school) classes., Many people keep journals to reflect on their day, work through hard times, or write down their plans for the upcoming day.
   
   Maybe, in a few years, you'll read it again and smile at your summer memories. , This is a huge project, that could fill your entire summer and more if you get inspired.
   
   If you're not sure where to begin, try writing a story imitating your favorite author, or work together with a friend so you can trade ideas. , Knowing a foreign language can lead to many opportunities, not to mention it looks good on college applications.
   
   Get started by finding a beginner's class nearby, or ask a friend or family member to teach you a language they know.
   
   Search online for free language lessons, online learning tools, or foreign conversation partners. , Most areas host fairs, festivals, carnivals, or other fun events during the summer.
   
   Check your city's calendar online, or ask other people in the area whether they've heard of events.
   
   Check the websites or advertisements for nearby venues, including concert locations, theaters, and sports stadiums. , Look at your town's or region's tourism website or brochures advertising events and find out what attracts people traveling from other locations.
   
   There might be anything from museums to merry go rounds lurking in your town, or in areas a short drive away., Spend a couple days with friends or family at a campsite, or camp in your backyard.
   
   Gather friends around a campfire or barbecue to tell scary stories and make s'mores. , Find a geocaching site online, and look up locations near you to see if anyone has hidden secret rewards.
   
   You can search for these caches or hide your own wither with a GPS unit or by finding the coordinates on a map. , If weather, transportation, or a lack of events prevents you from leaving the house, take a fake vacation.
   
   Invite a couple friends for a sleepover and decorate your room like a palace, jungle, hotel, or anything you like.
   
   Go shopping for unusual foods and "souvenirs" to share with your guests.
   
   If the weather is rainy, dress up in swimsuits and sunglasses and lounge around indoors pretending you're visiting a location with a proper summer. , If your current friends are out of town or busy, look through your old yearbooks, phone contacts, or emails and reconnect with people you used to know.
   
   Any of the activities above can be more fun with friends, or you can simply spend an afternoon catching up with each other or reminiscing. , If you live in an area where summers are hot, you can have fun and cool off at the same time.
   
   Visit the beach or the pool with friends or family.
   
   Play swimming games like Marco Polo or Shark Attack, hold swimming races, or get a group of friends together to play water polo. , Even if you don't have anywhere to swim, you might find ways to have fun with water.
   
   Put on a swimsuit or light clothes you don't mind getting wet, and find some overheated friends to join you in these activities:
   Turn on the sprinklers on a lawn and play tag, hide-and-go-seek, or red rover in the middle of the spraying water.
   
   Have a water fight.
   
   Fill up some water balloons, buy a cheap water gun at the dollar store, or use a garden hose.
   
   This can be a fun one-time activity... or the start of a water fight war. , A cold beverage or a bowl of ice cream can be wonderful in hot weather.
   
   Making them yourself is even better for curing boredom.
   
   Try making homemade ice cream, either with the classic "salt and ice" method or with a method that recreates the creamy, rich taste of real ice cream.
   
   Make popsicles and keep your freezer stocked all summer.
   
   Fill your fridge with homemade ginger ale or lemonade.
   
   Make a ice lick.
   
   Place cold water in a cup with a disposable straw or spoon.
   
   Keep it in the freezer for 2 hours, then take it out and eat it while it's cold and yummy. , Find a cool, shady room, or make a blanket fort out of light sheets to create a refuge from the sun.
   
   Turn on a fan, find a book to read, and wait for the hottest part of the day to pass.
   
   Other relaxed indoor activities include sewing, playing solitaire or other card games, watching a movie, or listening to music. , As dusk starts to fall and the temperatures cool off, gather a group of friends to play games like hide-and-seek, sardines, freeze tag or capture the flag in a large yard or park.
   
   If the evening is still too hot for physical activity, set up a table outside and play card games or board games while the air cools down.
   
   Pick a board game that won't be blown away by wind, such as Carcassonne, Tikal, or Blokus.These are all moderately popular games sold at many game stores, but classics like Chess, Checkers, or any board game's magnetic travel version are even easier to find.
   
   A trick-taking card game like Hearts can be played in windy areas, as long as you have rocks or other heavy objects to hold down the tricks. , Some people like this activity more than others, but even if you're not much of a decorator it beats sitting around doing nothing.
   
   Even just sorting through old clutter can help you find old toys, books, and other nostalgic objects.
   
   For a larger project, paint your room or hang up posters and pictures.. , See how many kinds of different wild flowers you can find in your yard or nearby fields.
   
   Make a bouquet, or press them to make permanent decorations.
   
   Leaves can also be dried to use in art projects or just to keep around as decoration.
   
   Don't pick flowers from other people's yards without permission, or if the flowers look intentionally planted. , There are hundreds of natural DIY recipes, using yogurt, avocado, or other natural ingredients.
   
   Open up your cupboards and treat yourself to a cheap spa day. , Sort through your clothes, and pick out the ones that you don't want/are too small for you.
   
   Invite some friends over, and ask them to bring some clothes/other items they don't want.
   
   Trade clothes with each other, or sell them at a yard sale to raise some spending money.
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   Step 3: Make a film.

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   Step 4: Start a radioshow.

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   Step 5: Find a craft project.

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   Step 6: Excel at a complicated game.

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   Step 7: Learn to cook.

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   Step 8: Get a summer job.

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   Step 9: Volunteer.

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    Step 10: Check out a stack of books from the library.

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    Step 11: Start a journal.

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    Step 12: Write a novel.

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    Step 13: Learn a language.

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    Step 14: Hit up local events.

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    Step 15: Act like a tourist in your own town.

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    Step 16: Go camping.

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    Step 17: Go geocaching.

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    Step 18: Invent an indoors vacation.

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    Step 19: Get in touch with old friends.

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    Step 20: Go swimming.

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    Step 21: Cool off with water activities.

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    Step 22: Make cold drinks and desserts.

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    Step 23: Relax indoors.

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    Step 24: Play games around sunset.

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    Step 25: Organize or redecorate your room.

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    Step 26: Pick flowers in your neighborhood.

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    Step 27: Make your own beauty treatments.

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    Step 28: Update your wardrobe.

Detailed Guide

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