We're Still Kids

Every teenager and child has gone through the joy of summer break. But summers are also a time where time moves slower and the habits of just being on your phone can overtake the lifetime memories you can make. As I get older, I feel that time is going by faster. 

As a junior, I feel like I am running out of time the closer summer gets, and spending more time with friends, family, and on my own becomes more important.

"Summer felt good as a kid. It felt alive!"

When I was little, summer break felt like a year-long break from school. Most of my days were spent outside playing with toys, mud, friends, and family. I can still recall the days my cousins would come over and play mud-kitchen with me, build forts, and get tan from our days outside in the sun. Summer felt good as a kid. It felt alive!

The older I got, the more free time I gained every new summer. Slowly, summer days didn't consist of playing with toys and being outside anymore. There came days when I had too much time on my hands. I'd spend most days inside, on my phone, like many other teenagers. Although at first it was nice, I realized that time was being wasted on a phone. 

While summer is about taking time off from academics and demands of homework, it doesn’t mean that we should sit in our dark rooms on our phones all day. I believe that there are better ways to use this extra special time we get to have. Think about it, will we get this time when we graduate or when we become adults?

Enjoy Our Childhood While We Have It

"Will we get this time when we graduate or when we become adults?"

Even though high school can be at times overwhelming with homework, testing, report cards, and all other activities, summer is the time to get away from all that and our time to clear our minds. Being outdoors and having fun like we did when we were younger will help us to be happier. In fact, an article by Hackensack Meridian Health states that being outdoors can help fight feelings of depression.

Summer is also a time to go out with friends. Being outdoors having fun doesn’t necessarily need money, it just needs time, such as going to the park with your friends, family, or going to a festival. Being around friends and just having great conversations is a great way to make your summer feel more meaningful. Create memories, take pictures, socialize, and work on yourself as a person. Spending time thinking about how you can be better not just at doing things but as a person who wants to grow and learn is time well spent. And there’s no better time than when we don’t have homework or tests.

Not sure how to spend your time? Revive an old hobby this summer!

The last thing I recommend to someone who feels like summer is a waste of time is to think of getting out of your own comfort zone. Leave your room, talk to new people, get closer to your family, pick up a new hobby, ride your bike again, be a kid again.

There will come a time where you wont have all the time you do now so make the most of it today before you regret not having done something you wanted.

Go out and smell the flowers!