Well, what does one do about it? Here are some things I've tried:
- Read classic literature. You want to have a well-rounded education, right? I've started on Jane Eyre. I haven't gotten very far in the month I've been reading it, but I'll finish, I swear...
- Get a job to earn some cash to help keep you out of student debt next year and to get some of that "experience" that employers typically want. (Mainly geared toward college students and high school seniors, but it's good to start early!) Run it by your mom. She tells you that unless you want to either walk or purchase a bike pump to ride that bike of yours that's been sitting in the garage for years to work, you'll have to get a driver's license, and she promptly forbids you from taking a night shift anywhere until you can drive. Then postpone the original plan until you get your license.
- Practice math! I have been going over the things in the textbook that I didn't fully understand during the school year, then once I'm done, I'll start on the textbook section that we'll be starting the next year with to be a few steps ahead of the game. One subsection of a chapter a day should do. Or maybe every few days. No, no!! Do four in one day to make up for the days you took off! Aaauuuugh!!!
- Binge-watch a Youtube series about rocket science. Feel smart, then realize that you've understood little and retained nothing.
Yes, the sedentary days of summer can be a tough time for those of us who thrive on being busy and productive. Hope for a shred of sanity is not lost, though. Here are some things that I've tried that actually work.
- Ask your mom to show you her favorite classic movies. Not only will she be excited, but you'll learn a thing or two!
- If you have little siblings, play spaceships with them. For me, it satisfies my scifi-nerd cravings while nurturing a stronger relationship with my family.
- Another one for the little siblings: help them make a lemonade stand! Not only will a bit of social interaction keep you sane, but it will help foster an understanding of economics in the next generation of human beings. When I helped my younger sisters with this, we made lemonade from a recipe we found in an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and we pulled out a table from the garage and a couple chairs off of the porch, and we (meaning I) put together a few dollars to buy a sheet of poster board for a sign. They used the money that they made to by unlimited ride wristbands to the Independence Day carnival. I was paid in lemonade. I'm not complaining.
- Get outside regularly, even if it's just to check the mail. Walking a dog is a good excuse.
- Read that crappy YA semi-scifi dystopian romance adventure that you refused to admit you wanted to read. Enjoy every moment of it, then tell everyone all about how you hated it. (You can tell me you loved it, though. My lips are sealed.)
- Keep in contact with the friends that really matter. Don't bother with those who don't make you feel valued. Write letters, or Skype them at an unusual hour to tell them about that idea you had for a steampunk Godzilla anime.
- Lie on your bed, stare at the ceiling, and listen to what God has to say.
It is a good thing to want to be productive, but it is not healthy when your sense of self-worth is based in it. This summer may be a good opportunity for honors, AP, college, or otherwise advanced students to finally learn how to relax. (Even Elon Musk takes a break now and then! What do you want to bet he watches Scooby Doo reruns while mindlessly munching on dry cereal on his days off?) My stepdad (used to be an engineer, now a statistician, pretty heavy workload) is always reminding me that if I want to get anywhere in my education, career, or life in general, I have to learn how to balance work and fun. Work that you already find fun is good, but on top of that fun work, you need a bit of mindless fun to give yourself a rest. Speaking of mindless fun, I need to go plan my Lego Batman movie night with a couple friends. I wish all of you an excellent, restful, mild-in-temperature summer!
