Summer’s not over yet! But what will you do to fill the void while preparing for your foreboding first day? Here are 7 fun summer hobbies that will get your mental mojo pumping and set for the new semester.
1). Unleash your thoughts in a journal.
Journals are the punk rock version of writing: raw, blunt, and hang-up free. They give you a chance to rebel against those stuffy papers you wrote in high school. Write in one of these babies each night, and you’ll improve your analytical skills while finding your voice–not to mention, you’re sure to get better at free writing, which can take that agonizing, four-hour rough draft down to an hour or less.
2). Steal your brother’s trumpet.
Learning an instrument: what a patience-building exercise! Getting good can mean reviewing a single piece for hours, breaking down each bar, playing it over and over until it’s perfect. College means more free time and fewer graded homework assignments, but that thirty foot walk to your friend’s door is hardly enough to keep you from getting distracted. If you don’t have the discipline of a palace guard, music could help your transition into college freedom.
3). Game like you’re graded on it.
Few activities demand as much focus, patience and creative thinking as college math…except Portal…or Zelda…or any other long, difficult game, really. If you can play your way to the end of a 10+ hour game, chances are you can also get through that seemingly unsolvable calculus problem. That being said, you might want to stay away from patience-killing shooters and remember, DON’T CHEAT!
4). Wrangle your friends together.
College is hectic. Really hectic. You’ll have a lot more responsibility, more complex due dates, more group projects, and more chances to get distracted than you ever had in high school. If you want a fun taste of that craziness, be the event planner for your group of friends. Planning times, delegating drivers, troubleshooting last-minute schedule changes and attempting to please everyone are all skills that will come in handy dealing with due dates, scatter-brained professors, clubs and school bureaucracy (not to mention you’ll be more popular if you can plan events in college as well).
5). Blog up your life.
Most people will tell you to read books and the newspaper, which are both great preparation, but difficult hobbies for the average college student (including me) to follow through with. So for those of us who can only manage to read one book on our eleven-book summer reading list, blogs are a better alternative. Why? Let’s face it: you’re already on the computer; how else would you be reading this? If you’re anything like me, you don’t have the drive to pick up a newspaper or book when there are funny blogs covering the same content.
6). Hit the Gym
Get in the habit now! Don’t be one of the many college students who vow to work out but never follow through! We’ve all heard the benefits of working out for stress relief, for weight loss and for the endorphins; but most importantly, it’s easier to pull an all-nighter if you’re in shape.
7). Pick a fight with your friends
Well, verbal fights, that is. If you are less than motivated to thumb over old bio textbooks, or watch long documentaries on the Middle East, then push a few of your friends’ buttons on politics or philosophy. You’ll whip out your best critical thinking and argumentative skills and maybe even *gasp* do some research. Just make sure you pick a close friend who won’t get too offended by your verbal sparring, and if you can’t find one, just use it on your parents. Then perhaps they won’t complain that you don’t call enough.
These are just a few suggestions, but there’s always more you can do! What hobbies help you prepare for school? Share your fun in a comment below.