What’s on your summer list?
Summer is just around the corner and with that comes huge plans, expensive trips or locking in and becoming the “best version of yourself.” Sometimes, the best memories come from random little side quests, the kind of activities that make a random Wednesday night feel weirdly cinematic.
So, think of this article as your unofficial summer list to make a boring day feel more fun.
1. Take on a different form of work out
When regular gym sessions don’t hit the spot anymore, try switching the format entirely. You could try dancing instead.
It doesn’t have to mean joining a studio or becoming a dancer overnight. Scroll on YouTube and try out one of the many choreographies out there. Simplify the steps if it gets too difficult or try to freestyle your own dance.
The best part? It doesn’t feel like exercise when you are too busy nailing the footwork. By the end of summer, you’ll have a stronger body, better stamina and moves that you can randomly pull out at parties.
2. Start a podcast
You don’t need a microphone or even listeners. Your podcast can literally just be you recording voice notes or videos about your opinions on reviewing snacks in the kitchen or the ducks at the lake.
Treat it like an audio diary with your own whimsy to it. Title it something random or personal, like “Diary of a Whimsy Kid” or “Thoughts I should probably keep in my notes app.” The point is to have fun and hear your own personality in the playback.
3. Doodle with different mediums
When we think about doodling, we limit the art to paper and pen. Expand the art. Try doodling with embroidery thread on fabric, dry-erase markers on a whiteboard, eyeliner as fake tattoos, chalk on the sidewalk, collaging magazine scraps into art or drawing digitally onto IRL photos you took. The world is quite literally your canvas.
Some inspo:
- Embroider flowers onto your totes.
- Use grocery receipts and doodle the groceries you bought onto them.
- Scroll through Pinterest and draw what you like.
Doing this makes art feel less pressuring to be talented at it and more like experimenting with your style.
4. Learn a new language
Hear me out. A lot of people never start learning languages because they think that if they can’t become fluent, there’s no point.
Wrong. Learn enough to impress yourself.
You don’t need to master it; learn whatever feels easy. Trust me, once you start having fun with it, learning becomes easier.
I can’t speak Arabic fluently, but I can definitely tell you the time and my favourite colour.
Tiny progress is still progress. No one is grading you for it.
5. Go kayaking (at night)
Everything feels cooler after dark, and kayaking is no exception.
Toronto offers glow-in-the-dark kayaking that makes the experience feel much more fun. The calm waters, reflective city lights and cool air will make you feel like the main character in a film.
Bring a hoodie, bring a buddy and float away.
6. Train for a marathon (Even if you aren’t running in one)
You don’t actually need to sign up for a race. Training itself can be a side quest. Start with one kilometre and then slowly build up. Track your progress and romanticize your morning runs. Create playlists to keep you company.
And when you’re finished with your run for the day, share your Strava progress with your friends.
7. Research a random topic
Fall down a rabbit hole on purpose. Pick the most random thing around your room and learn all about it. Better yet, come up with a random question and start researching it.
For example:
- How did certain board games come to be?
- How do people name paint colors?
- Who invented shoelaces?
You may never need this information, but it will absolutely make you more interesting when you can whip out a fun fact.
8. Take yourself on a solo date
Go somewhere alone on purpose: a café, bookstore, mall, museum, movie or beach. Wear something you like. Order the dessert. Walk slowly.
Being able to enjoy your own company is one of the most underrated skills you can build.
9. Film your friends mockumentary style
Awkward zooms and even more awkward interviews sound like the perfect reason to record your friends and make them the subject of a very serious documentary.
Add in unnecessary zoom-ins and intense narration.
“Tensions arose, and no one could decide where to eat. Tension rose more when everyone got hungrier.”
Bonus hangout: Keep a watch party for these mockumentaries and laugh away at all the edits.
10. Go colour hunting
Pick a colour for the day and go outside. Take a picture of everything that is of that colour and make a photo collage.
Even better if you and your friends all choose different colours. It makes a normal walk into a scavenger hunt.
Time to explore!
It’s moments that make you laugh, feel curious and give you lore to tell later that really make the summer worth it. So pick a side quest, however random it may be, and start there.
The weirdest plans usually become the best memories.
Feature image courtesy of Ethan Robertson via Unsplash.
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