So, for the first time in my life I am heading into the summer months with no summer hols in sight! If I’m honest, I am absolutely dreading it. All of a sudden I have lots of ideas for things I could be doing that I wish I’d done in summers past! But instead of lamenting, I’ve decided to channel that energy into sharing with you lovelies some of those ideas on how to make the most of that much-needed break! Time is such a precious thing, so getting a whole bunch of it for six weeks is definitely a gift.
- TRAVEL
The world’s a huge, amazing place – use your time off to see some of it! Although the cost of travel goes up loads during summer holidays, there are definitely still great places to visit on a budget! Check skyscanner.com for the best deals. (Tip: I select my home airport and then choose the destination ‘Everywhere’ just to see what comes up.) There are also so many travel opportunities right here in our own country. I’ve enjoyed trips to cities across the UK, such as Edinburgh, Bath and Manchester. Road trips, train rides… there is so much fun to be had!
- LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE
I know you’re meant to be taking a break from studies, but with all that free time, learning a language on your own terms – maybe even with friends – is a great way to make the most of it. (It may also make getting back to schoolwork in September a little easier). To combine this with #1, you could even go and visit another country for a few weeks to really immerse yourself in the language and culture.
- ACQUIRING NEW SKILLS (or brushing up on old ones)
Thanks to the internet, the world of knowledge is right at our fingertips. Is there something you’ve always wanted to know how to do? Summer is the time to try! YouTube tutorials are a gift to the 21st century. Juggling, contouring, mountain climbing, coding, playing the guitar – there’s probably a video out there for whatever you want to learn! You could even find a course in real life and make some new friends while you’re at it – libraries, galleries and museums do great programmes over the summer. And why not check out some exhibitions while you’re there?! If there are things you already love doing, use your extra time to practise, improve and share those skills!
- VOLUNTEER OR GET A JOB
Summer is a great time to work for a short period, either to save some extra cash or to gain experience in an area you’re interested in. You could also do some volunteer work for a cause you care about, or to help out a group in need in your community! Churches are often quieter over the summer with people going away, or uni students leaving to go back home, so chat to leaders at church to see if any serving teams could do with some extra help!
- SPEND TIME WITH GOD
In the busyness of term time, it can be really easy to miss opportunities to spend time with God. With a whole extra 7+ hours to yourself every day during the summer hols, why not schedule in a little extra time with the One who always has time for us! You’re free to experiment with how you spend that time and you may discover a new dimension to your faith. Try going on a prayer walk, taking a retreat day, blasting worship music and letting loose, prayer journaling, song-writing, painting, meditating, worship dancing, reading the Bible out loud, praying with friends, start/join a Bible study group, or read some Christian literature.
Whether you do all of these or none, the most important thing is to ENJOY your well-deserved break and have so much fun! (And stay safe – everyone needs sunscreen!)
(If for any reason, the school holidays are a tough time for you and you want to talk about it, drop us a message, we’d be happy to chat to you)
