1. Read a book

With homework, work, extracurricular activities, and spending time with friends, there’s not much time for reading during the semester. Take any extra time you have during the summer as an opportunity to read books you don’t typically have time to read. The best part is that these books aren’t assigned reading for class, so you have the freedom to choose what you want to read. You can read about something you don’t know about or get lost in a novel. There’s an abundance of things to learn. If you don’t have a vacation planned, you can use reading as your chance to get away from reality. To find books to read, you can peruse your local library or the UCA library.

2. Catch up with friends and family

During the school year, it’s easy to focus on schoolwork instead of relationships. One way to spend your free time this summer is reconnecting with a friend from high school or a college friend you don’t spend time with anymore. Summer is also a good time to visit with family. Many people leave their hometown after college, so savor time with your family this summer. Instead of staying in your room all summer, spend quality time with your family and cherish these moments.

3. Try something new

One of the best parts of summer is the increased amount of free time. With this time, you can try something you’ve always wanted to try. You can learn how to play an instrument, build an app, or learn a new language. While spending time surfing the web is relaxing, it’s not memorable. Trying something new can give you skills you can use later in life.

4. Go on an adventure

Many people want to go on vacation outside of the state, but there are many activities to do in Arkansas. You can go on a hike, go canoeing, or go mining for diamonds. You can visit the Gurdon Ghost light, which is supposedly a haunted area in Gurdon, Arkansas. You can also watch the stars. Arkansas is the natural state, so there’s an abundance of outdoor activities you could choose from. Adventures don’t have to be in a different town or city; you can find adventures anywhere.

5. Think about the future

With the hustle and bustle of classes, it’s easy to forget about life after graduation. This isn’t the most appealing way to spend your time during the summer, but it’s useful for your future. Summer is the time to think about where you see yourself after graduation and prepare for the road ahead, whether that be through studying for the GRE, researching jobs, or deciding how to spend a gap year. Use this valuable free time to form a plan, and it’ll make your school year less stressful.