How to Spend the Last Days of Summer Break

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

School may be close on the horizon, but the fun isn’t over yet! There are plenty of things you can do to make the most of your last days on summer break. Taking time for your favorite things and doing some simple arts and crafts are great ways to spend your last bit of time. Having fun with friends and treating yourself to rest and relaxation will get your body and mind ready for the school year ahead.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Binging Your Favorite Things

1
Make a snack buffet. It’s important to eat healthy both during the school year and on vacation, but it doesn’t hurt to let loose a little. Make a buffet of your favorite candy bars, pastries, chips, crackers, cookies, and sugary drinks, then dive in! The food isn’t going anywhere, so once you feel full save the rest for another day.
2
Watch an entire television show. Thanks to services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go, you can watch an entire series from your phone or computer. School nights only leave time for one or two episodes, but the end of summer gives you a long stretch to binge the whole thing. Some great shows to try include:^{[1]
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- Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones, or Stranger Things for current series.
- Gilmore Girls, Breaking Bad, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer for completed series.
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3
Complete a video game. With every year, video games seem to get longer and longer. Though they may be difficult to complete during the school year, a few days on summer break gives just enough time to chew through that long game you’ve been eyeing. If you have a week or two, try to complete the game by finding every collectible and beating every side-mission.^{[2]
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- Long, open world games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Fallout 4, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are perfect for when you have lots of down time.
- For an extra challenge, try to unlock every achievement the game offers.
4
Read your favorite book series. School brings with it a lot of classic literature, and while many of those books are great, they don’t leave a lot of time for your favorite franchises. Fun book series are perfect ways to enjoy your final vacation days and prepare your mind for the semester ahead.
- Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hunger Games are great, contained franchises that can be read in a short amount of time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Pampering Yourself

1
Go to your favorite restaurant. A delicious meal may be the perfect solution for end-of-summer blues. Choose a favorite local restaurant, chain, or cafe and order your favorite dish. If you have any leftovers, take them home to enjoy before the first day of class.
2
Go shopping for new clothes. Sometimes, a new year calls for a new you, and one of the best ways to accomplish that is with a fresh set of back-to-school clothes. If you have some money to spend, head to the mall and try out the latest styles. For students on a budget, thrift shops like Goodwill can hide a lot of gems that are cheap, fashionable, and will give your threads a unique flair.
3
Have a home spa night. Personal spa remedies are a great way to get refreshed before school starts again. Set up a hot bath with candles, relaxing music, and a bath bomb. If you’re up for it, put on a mud mask or cucumber eye gel. Enjoy the good vibes and let your mind drift away to whatever topics it wants. Once you’re done and dried off, moisturize your body with some shea, honey, or cocoa lotion.^{[3]
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4
Take a day to chill. Rest and relaxation can be a rarity during the year thanks to homework and student organizations, but there’s plenty of time for it during summer vacation. Take an entire day to just lounge around, relax, and sleep. Feel free to watch TV, listen to music, or do whatever else strikes your fancy, but don’t follow a strict schedule. It will make you feel better, and it will help you get rested for the start of the school year.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Hanging Out with Friends

1
Throw a party. An end-of-summer bash can bring the school year in with style. Invite anywhere from five to ten friends over, grab some easy to eat food like pizza, and let the good times roll. For some simple party activities, try:^{[5]
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- A lip-sync battle or karaoke contest.
- A party game like Apples to Apples or Taboo.
- A recently-released movie.
2
Hold a sleepover. For close friends, sleepovers are an easy way to get together and have some fun before the new semester. While parties are great for big activities, sleepovers are better suited for small things. Try playing video and board games, watching old or scary movies, doing makeovers, or just having fun conversations.^{[6]
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- Unless you have enough beds for everyone, make sure people bring sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets.
3
Start a role-playing game. It’s hard to enjoy table-top RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons when your days are spent at school, but the end of summer break may give just enough time to complete a game. If your friends live nearby, try to play in person. If not, see if you can play using Skype, Facebook Messenger, Discord, or other video chat services.
4
Take a short trip together. Getting out of the house is a great way to shake off those end-of-summer jitters. Grab your friends and take a small road trip to the next town over, a local tourist attraction you’ve never visited, a museum, or even just a movie theater. The where doesn’t matter as much as spending quality time with your friends.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Creating New Things

1
Have a tie-dye day. With some old shirts and store bought dye packets, you can turn boring clothes into fun ones. After creating the dyes by following their listed instructions, dip or color your t-shirt and keep it in a grocery bag for 4 to 6 hours. Once it has set, rinse your shirt in cold water, wash it on its own, and let it dry.
2
Make a vlog. As long as you have a phone, you can make a vlog for YouTube or other social media sites. Sit down near some light, point the camera toward yourself, and press record. Some good starting topics include:
- Your favorite movies, video games, bands, or books.
- What you did during the summer, including any vacations you went on or camps you went to.
- What you’re looking forward to (or dreading) about the school year ahead.
3
Write a short story. Before the book reports and history essays start, let your imagination run wild with a short story. Sit down and brainstorm some characters and a challenge they have to overcome. Write down your ideas and see what sort of tale you can come up with. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar yet, just let your creativity take you where it wants to go.^{[7]
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- If you have trouble thinking up characters or ideas, try making some fan fiction based around your favorite movies, TV shows, or books.
4
Take some time to paint. Painting is a great way to relax and get your mind ready for the school year ahead. Grab some simple watercolor or acrylic paints, a few brushes, and drawing or watercolor paper to work on.^{[8]
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Research source} Paint whatever comes to mind, follow along with painting shows like Bob Ross’ The Joy of Painting, or try and recreate your favorite picture. Remember, this is just for you, so don’t sweat any “happy little accidents.”
- If painting isn’t your speed, try other artistic crafts like drawing, papier mache, or photography.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you spend your summer days?

Desiree Panlilio
Teen Life Coach
Desiree Panlilio is a Teen Life Coach and the Owner of Encouraging Teens, LLC. With over three years of experience, she specializes in helping teens and young adults define roles, set goals, develop healthy academic and personal habits, grow in leadership potential, and create their life paths. Desiree holds a BSN in Nursing from The University of Victoria and an MA in Human Services Counseling with a concentration in Life Coaching from Liberty University.

Desiree Panlilio

Teen Life Coach

Expert Answer

Try creating summertime goals. I don't mean goals like “I'm going to learn calculus over the summer.” Goals are things you want to do, like “I really want to be able to see grandma and grandpa in the summer” or “I want to learn to surf this summer.” Create three or four goals and make a deadline of when you're going to accomplish them.