10 Ways to Have a Productive, Memorable, Scrapbook Worthy Summer

There are few things more exciting than the beginning of summer, when there’s a promise of things to come, and an exciting sense of fresh starts in the air, and every school student lets out a sigh of relief, because it’s finally time to just rest. Summer is like an entire season of Sabbath, where we get a break before another school year starts again. It’s so easy though, to find yourself at the end of summer, exhausted and drained, realizing you wasted the entire season lying on the couch, binging Boy Meets World (okay, that might just be a me thing 😂). Which is why I figured I’d write this post, not just to help you guys make the most of your summers, but also to help myself.

I’ll definitely be referencing this post throughout the summer (:

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1. Dedicate Your Summer to The Lord

I can’t stress how important this is when it comes to planning your summer. It’s so easy to forget that this season is His, for Him to use for His glory. We can get so caught up in the excitement of planning, that we lose sight of what’s really important about this season (and all seasons, really!)

My favorite way to keep myself reminded that my life is not my own is to leave a little calligraphy note on my wall for myself to see all summer. I still need to make this note though 😂

2. Make a “Curriculum Plan”

I don’t know about you, but I personally feel extremely out of wack if I don’t have a stable list of assignments for every day, whether that’s during the school year or summer. I also have a list of things I want to teach myself outside of school, which is where my DIY “summer school” comes in. I’ve planned out 6 subjects for myself: Writing, Literature, Art, ASL, Business, and Nonfiction. I’ve modeled the curriculum plan after various homeschool curriculum plans, to best set myself up for success.

I’ve already planned out my work for Writing, Literature, and Nonfiction. For Writing, each week I’ll be writing for 4 hours and studying the writing craft for 4 hours. For Literature, I’ll be reading 4 classic novels, each one over the course of 3 weeks. The books I’ll be reading are Pride & Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities, Jane Eyre, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And for Nonfiction, I’ll be reading Mere Christianity, The Hiding Place, The Screwtape Letters, and A Chance to Die, each also over the course of 3 weeks.

For my remaining 3 subjects, I haven’t decided on definitive assignments yet. For Art, I think I’ll be studying art basics through YouTube, and will also be doing as many art projects as I feel like. For ASL, I’ll likely just practice my ASL daily, using YouTube to learn new signs. And for Business, I’ll just be focusing on getting my Etsy shop started. I’ve had this as my goal for the last few years, and I’m really hoping this is the year when I’ll finally start my business.

Here’s a link to my template! 🙃

3. Create an Exciting Bucket List

Every summer, I make a bucket list, and every summer I fail to complete it. This summer I’m hoping to change that though. I want to have an exciting and memorable summer, and a bucket list is a big part of that. Some things on my summer bucket list are to make some new IRL friends, have a sunrise picnic, do something really impulsive (ie: sing broadway songs in the grocery store), go to the boardwalk (I’m terrified for this one, seeing as I have severe sensory issues), go see The Little Mermaid in theatres, see my friend in a local production of The Little Mermaid, visit a water park, and try out the paperclip challenge (in which you trade a paperclip for something else, and trade that something else for something else, and so on).

I highly recommend making a YA novel worthy bucket list (:

4. Find a Job or Volunteer Position (or Both!)

Taking advantage of all your free time in summer to help someone else or make some money is one of the smartest choices you can make, both for your future and for your wallet. I’ve already applied for multiple jobs near me, including at Starbucks, Old Navy, and multiple other random businesses. Along with that, I’ve signed up to volunteer as an STM at Joni & Friends family retreat, and I’ve applied to help out at a horseback riding program for kids with disabilities.

If you’re under 16, and can’t get hired for a job/volunteer position, I’d recommend trying out starting your own business. (:

5. Make a Plan to Stay Off of Devices as Much as Possible

There’s something about summer that just encourages everyone to be glued to their devices (myself included). After the initial charm of summer has worn off, there’s just yucky sticky heat and boredom to last for days. It’s hard to resist the urge to be online all day.

That being said, it’s so good for you to get off your devices. Go outside, snuggle with your dog, hang out with your friends. Get off those devices.

(Also, completely random and off topic, but have you drank any water in the last hour? And have you gotten up and stretched in the last two hours? If not, please get off this blog post and take care of yourself. 💛)

6. Go on Little Adventures Around Your Town

I know, I know, you know your town like the back of your hand, and there’s nothing fun about pretending to be a tourist. You’re probably rolling your eyes at this point and preparing to scroll down to my next piece of advice. Please don’t! Trust me, you can have plenty of fun wherever you live. I know that for me personally, I’m planning to bike around town this summer, mostly to the library and the park. Go search for hidden spots, explore the downtown part of your town, visit your local town history museum. I guarantee you, you’ll have fun (:

7. Find a New Hobby

For me at least, there’s nothing more fun than a new hobby. I love learning new things, and I absolutely adore getting into new hobbies. Over the last 16 years, I’ve had too many hobbies to count; some of the most memorable ones were coding, writing (hah that’s still my hobby XP), art, bracelet making, and horseback riding.

So please!! Do yourself a favor and try out a new hobby. For almost any hobby, you can buy supplies for super cheap off of Amazon.

8. Intentionally Spend Time with Your Family

In the summer, everyone’s always so excited to spend time with their friends. Not so much with their family. Which breaks my heart, if we’re being honest. I wish more teenagers were aware of the amount of privilege they have to be able to spend time with their family. You won’t always have time to hang out with your family, and, you might not always have the chance to be with them. Make spending time with them an intention. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 💛

(That being said, if you have a toxic/abusive family, please distance yourself from them. Your emotional and physical safety matter.)

9. Buy a Cheap Camera and Document Your Summer on It

Alright, I know this one is all over TikTok, so I won’t spend much time explaining. Just buy a cheap camera (I found this one on Shein for $10), and take as many photos and videos of your summer as you can. It’s so fun (:

10. Take a Class at Your Local Community College

For those of you who want more than just DIY summer school, I’d recommend taking a class at your local community college, or even at a college that is far away from you but offers classes online. High school students generally get to take these courses for free, and these courses typically count for a whole year of a school subject. Highly recommend (:

Thank you so so much for reading this mess of a post 😅 If you enjoyed this, please consider leaving a like, a comment, and subscribing for similar content.

What are you planning to do this summer? Are you excited for summer? Let me know in the comments!

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Ad Gloriam Dei // For the glory of God.