Once the school year ends, many people are at a loss in regards to how they should spend the next three months. While many may find it fulfilling to do nothing but sit in a chair and watch TV reruns their entire summer break, there are other, more productive ways you can spend your time.

First, summer break is a great time to get ahead, or keep up with school. If you signed up for any courses that require summer homework, be sure to start early so you don’t find yourself cramming everything into the last week of break. Many English classes require that students do some amount of reading over the summer. You may find by that reading these books, you will not only enhance your ability as a reader, but also entertain yourself during the days that seem to drag on.

Summer is also a great time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Summer is a brief period when Minnesota weather finally becomes warmer, and people are able to go outside without freezing. Take advantage of this weather! Some great ideas are visiting a lake such as Lake Calhoun or Lake Harriet for fun water activities, or taking a walk or jog around your neighborhood. Being outside not only helps you feel refreshed, but gives you a chance to exercise and stay in shape during a time when temptations to lounge around are strong.

Finally, one of the most important things you can do over summer is spend time with your family which you may have neglected during the school year. When you don’t have a project or test nearly every day, there are more opportunities to spend meaningful time with your family and show you appreciate them. Think of some things you can do that both you and your family would enjoy.

Even though many define relaxing as sitting around doing nothing, there are much more productive ways to spend a summer. By doing these, one will likely find that they not only have more fun, but start the school year with a greater sense of fulfillment.