One of my favorite ways to spend time with my friends is by taking small, cheap adventures on the weekends.

Now that summer is quickly approaching and the amount of free time I have will increase dramatically, planning out these small adventures becomes more and more prevalent in my conversations with friends. The planning aspect is fun, but the spontaneous ideas are what make the adventure even more memorable.

If you’re looking for a way to have fun and make memories without spending your entire check this summer, this could be the perfect option for you and your friends.

The issue with taking trips as a college student typically revolves around money. Solving this issue requires you to open your imagination as to what an adventure can be.

For me, this can mean an hour-long road trip to Petit Jean Mountain, a song-filled ride to Memphis to walk aimlessly around Ikea, a picnic full of premade Kroger sandwiches and chips or an appointment to get nose piercings on a whim. If you broaden your idea of how to have fun, you will be able to spend more quality time with your friends while spending less money. 

Of course, a huge trip during the summer is what many students dream of, but unless you can plan these in advance and save enough money for all of the expenses, it is not a realistic option for many of us. If a huge trip is one of your goals, small adventures are a good way to supplement the fun until you’ve saved enough for the real deal. 

The best kinds of adventures are the ones that don’t cost anything (except maybe some gas money to get there). These include hiking, window shopping in a new area of town, driving around and listening to music or watching the stars at night. I have done all of these with my best friend, and the time we can spend talking and catching up on our weeks is what makes it so fun. 

Small adventures are also sensitive to busy schedules. It’s not always easy to get away from work and internships, especially when trying to work around multiple schedules, but so many things can be done after a shift at work or on a day off. 

My best friend and I routinely meet up for our weekly adventure after we both get off of work. Most of the time, we don’t even know what kind of trouble we’ll get into, but we know that we’ll find something. That’s the beauty of the small adventure, it can be anything you want it to be. The most important part is that you are spending time with your friends and having fun in the process. 

So, this summer, when you and your friends are wondering what your next adventure will be, remember that it doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t have to go too far from home to spend quality time with your friends.