College Fun Checklist: The Final Weeks of Summer

AC DC Concert Stage (Montreal) - Colorful Lights

Checklists: the simplest way to keep track of what you need or what you need to get done.  As the summer comes to a close and September quickly approaches, you probably have a few different checklists that you’ve been keeping tabs on in preparation for college, from a financial checklists to an academic checklists to a packing checklists, etc.  But there’s another important checklist that you might not have thought to ever draft up: the “fun” checklist.  Check out the following items on this list to remind yourself that enjoying the rest of your summer is a priority in its own right.

Have a cookout with friends
Soon enough, you’ll be off at school, possibly relying on your college’s dining plan as your sole provider for food.  Take advantage of the weather and all the food resources you have available and have a cookout with friends!  Grill up some tastes of summer like veggie kabobs, and grilled pineapple for dessert.  Enjoy the summer weather, bring friends together and have great food!

Go to a concert
Track down your favorite artists and see who’s playing shows near you before you head back to school.  None of your favorites on tour?  No problem.  Look at the schedules of nearby indie venues and buy cheap tickets to a random show.  Take a chance with $15, diversify your musical horizons, enjoy the concert and maybe even discover your new favorite band!

Read a book of your choice
Soon enough, assignments for the fall semester will start piling up.  Regardless of your major, you’ll likely have plenty of reading assignments to keep you pretty busy in the book department.  Now is the time to read something for fun.  Pick up some books in the genre of your choice and allow them to be your faithful companions for the rest of the summer.

Go back-to-school shopping for “fun” items
This still belongs on the fun checklist, but it is also happens to be practical in preparing for school. Remember the feeling of excitement you’d get as a kid when it came time to do back-to-school shopping?  Let yourself feel that way again!  Spend a day shopping around for some fun stuff to bring to college.  Get yourself a new outfit, buy a DVD to watch while away at school and find new decorations for your dorm or apartment.  Devoting one shopping day to strictly enjoyable purchases will help get you excited for the new school year.

Go to the beach!
Hopefully by this point in the summer, you’ve been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a decent beach day or two.  But if you haven’t yet, it’s certainly time you get yourself over to the nearest sandy beach!  Soak up some vitamin D, feel the sand between your toes and cool off in the salty sea.

People don’t often think that a list is necessary in order to remember to do fun things, but we all know that it can be pretty stressful getting ready to go to college.  So amidst the checklists you’re keeping to stay organized, just remember to include a simple one like this, so that your last few weeks of summer will have room for some fun!

Photo credit: Aniroudh Koul