How to Avoid the Summer Slump this Year

This article was written by our Everly Mag Intern, Chloe. Get to know Chloe and our other interns here!

It’s officially May, which means that summer is right around the corner! Of course that means that everyone on summer break this year will be spending all summer doing amazing, life changing things every day right?

Nope!

Despite what Instagram makes you believe, summer isn’t necessarily endless fun. Often, it’s a seemingly unending. It’s day after day of doing nothing until, at the end, you feel like you wasted your whole vacation! However, even though the summer break that is absolutely bursting with fun every day is a complete myth, here are a few tips to keep your summer vacation from turning into a summer slump!

fun summer sunset jump water kids teens lake — Image: Brookyn Morgan via Unsplash.com

Release yourself from expectations

The first way to beat the summer slump is to quit feeling bad about how you spend your summer. Stop comparing your summer to the ideal dream summer you have in your head. This includes the summers that you see people living on social media! The truth is, most summers are long and can get boring. It’s the things we do every once in a while that make summers fun. Besides, how exhausting would summer be if you were out having fun every day? This time of year isn’t just for having fun, it’s also about relaxing!

Make a list!

Write yourself a summer to-do list of all the fun things you like to do in your area. Think of things you’ve been meaning to get around to doing and things that you haven’t done in a while. You probably won’t do everything on the list, and that’s ok! By making this list, you’ll give yourself something to reference when you feel like you’re going insane from boredom. If you need an extra kick to get yourself out of the house, think of it as a date with yourself! Wouldn’t it be rude to stand yourself up?

Keep in contact with friends

It can be very, very easy to lose contact with people once you don’t see them at school every day. Remember that communication is a two way street! If you haven’t heard from a friend in a few days, reach out to them first! Keeping in contact with friends and meeting up once in a while will keep you from feeling isolated and lonely, which will only enhance your summer slump!

Try to wake up at a reasonable time

Being away from your normal schedule can totally knock your internal clock off balance. I think we’ve all fallen prey to the trap of sleeping in super late in the summer. The problem with this is that you feel the need to make up the time by staying up super late at night. You end up sleeping away most of the day and being up all night, every single day! To avoid wasting most of your day, it’s good to try and wake up in the morning while it’s, well, still morning.

girl teen woman watermelon summer fun fruit — Image: Caju Gomes via Unsplash.com

Get involved in something

Throw yourself into something this summer! Find something to get motivated about.

Volunteering can be a great way to do this. Ask around, or even google around to find cool programs going on in your area! Not only will it keep you busy, but you’ll also meet new people, feel good about helping out your community, and have something new to put on your resume!
Starting a project can help you keep busy this summer. Whether it’s a new blog, a podcast, a series of paintings, or a short story, starting a pet project will give you something to do that you’re actually interested in and that you can manage on your own terms.
Set one realistic goal this summer. Give yourself something to work towards like learning a bit of a new language, improve your mile-running time, or figuring out how to cook. Not only will you pass time productively, but you’ll better yourself in the process.

What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Comment below!

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Featured Image Credit: Matthew Miner via Unsplash