Photo Jadyn Grayes

The perfect pool to spend a summer day in.

If you’re anything like me; most summer days are spent lying in bed with the occasional walk around the neighborhood. But summer ’24 is going to be one for the books, and the days of laziness and boredom are over. As cliche as the saying “you only have 18 summers of freedom” sounds, it’s true. It’s important to make the most of your summers at home before the responsibilities of adulthood take over. Here are some affordable activities to make your summer break memorable.

1. Painting Picnic: All you need for a successful picnic are a couple of pub-subs, fruit, and a drink. Pair this with some canvases and paint, and you’ve got the perfect creative day.
2. Movie Nights: Movie-watching nights are one of the most nostalgic and relaxing activities to do during the summer. There’s nothing like bonding with your friends and loved ones over a big bucket of popcorn and a cheesy romcom. These are easy to do from home and affordable.
3. Pool Day: Florida summers are notoriously hot, and a day lounging at the pool is the perfect cure for the blistering heat. Paired with a bowl of fruit and a cold glass of water, a pool is all you need to have a day full of fun. You can play games, take lessons, or simply float around and relax.
4. Escape Room: Escape rooms are a fun activity to not only entertain you and a group of friends but also stimulate your brain. Solving them takes cleverness and attention to detail that is sure to keep your mind sharp throughout the summer.
5. Visit a Spring: Florida is home to over 1,000 natural springs, and a majority of them are open every day for snorkeling, scuba diving, lodging and swimming. Devil’s Den, an underground prehistoric spring is just a short road trip away and offers scuba diving training as well as other swimming activities. Some other springs open for recreation are Crystal River, Rainbow Springs and Weeki Wachee.
6. Volunteer: You can have just as much fun doing a recreational activity as you can volunteering. There are so many ways you can help your community over the summer and make an impact while having fun. Some personal favorites are Metropolitan Ministries, Letters of Hope and the Humane Society.

It doesn’t take a lot of money to have fun, say no to the summer bed rot and try some new things this year. Doing these activities with my friends has made me cherish my vacation time way more, and I know my last summer break before college will be well-spent.